


See the Daylight Shine

by tvlover9



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Eventual Happy Ending, Hospitalization, Kidnapping, M/M, Panic Attacks, Psychological Torture, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 02:57:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 34,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4043176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tvlover9/pseuds/tvlover9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert disappears, the whole village thinks he has ran away, but Aaron refuses to give up on him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this right after Robert and Aaron's week together at Home Farm. It was supposed to be just a little story about Aaron's thoughts in the woods, mostly just to get it out of my head. And then it turned into this. I have no idea where this came from, I have never written anything involving torture or panic attacks, or any of these subjects really. All I know about these subjects I have learned from tv and movies. So, I'm sorry for all inaccuracies or flat out mistakes.
> 
> Thanks for reading and please be gentle.

“I love Chrissie”  
“I can’t lose her”  
“This, us, it isn’t real”  
“This isn’t a love story”  
“It was a fling, it meant nothing.”  
“You brought her here, this is your fault too”  
“It was my fault, I did it, I killed her.”  
“Chrissie’s coming home tomorrow”  
“We always knew this was only going to be for a few days.”

 

Robert’s words played on a loop in Aaron’s head. He ran. Faster, harder, pushing himself. For hours he ran, until his feet bleed, until he could barely walk. The harder he pushed, the quieter the voice got and he could turn it all off. This last week had been brilliant, he had managed to push everything out of his head and just be there with Robert. 

And then with one sentence it had all come back. “Chrissie’s coming home, tomorrow.” 

Aaron turned to run up another hill thick with trees. As he struggled to the top, his foot stuck on a fallen branch and unable to regain his balance he toppled down the hill. He lay there, to tired to get up. Robert’s voice returned even louder in the quiet of the woods. Aaron squeezed his eyes shut, and thought about how easy it would be, to just curl up in a ball and go to sleep. Maybe he would never wake up, maybe it would end. The guilt, the fear, the pain and uncertainty, maybe it would all be over. 

“You’ll make me think I fell for a quitter.”  
“I’m not just going to watch you fall apart”  
“You’re not alone”  
“If you ever want to talk, if you ever need me just find me. I’ll be there.”  
“If I lost you… I couldn’t handle it”  
“I love you, and I can’t watch you suffer”

He thought of Robert’s face as he said “I love you”. Sometimes he could tell when Robert was lying or trying to manipulate him, sometimes he wasn’t sure. His head wasn’t so sure, but his heart believed that Robert meant what he had said that day. He believed that Robert was a good man, underneath it all. He made a lot of mistakes, he was arrogant, and selfish, easily bored, and sometimes just a bastard. But the Robert that not very many people got to see, his Robert, was sweet and affectionate. He was conceited and at the same time insecure. He would do whatever it took to help those he loved even if it meant doing something stupid or taking a beating. Aaron made a decision as he lay cold and alone in the woods. He chose to believe that his Robert would choose him. Aaron opened his eyes, and forced himself to his feet. He began his slow exhausted walk back to the village. He loved Robert, and he would take whatever Robert offered him and maybe someday he would offer everything.


	2. Chapter 2

*Knock Knock*

 

“Aaron luv. You all right? I’m coming in”

 

The door to Aaron’s room slowly opened. Chas looked around the dark room and landed on the shape in the bed. She waited for her eyes to adjust enough so that she could tell it was only Aaron in the bed. She let out the breath she had been holding and went to sit on his bed.

 

“I wasn’t sure if _someone_ was in here with you.” She hesitated, waiting for the snarky comeback. When Aaron didn’t respond she reached out and put her hand on his forehead

 

“Luv, are you ill? Do you need…” before she could offer him anything, he turned away from her and grumbled, “I’m fine, mum, I’m just sleepin”

 

She huffed at him “You’ve been sleeping for over”, she looked at her watch “19 hours, Luv.”

 

“What?” He lifted his head to look at the clock.

 

“You came in around 5 yesterday, all covered in mud. You were your usual charming self, saying you were fine. Went straight up to the shower and to bed. It’s half past 12 now.” She told him worriedly. “What’s going on, Aaron? Are you alright?”

 

Aaron sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I’m good mum. I guess I was more exhausted then I thought, but I feel better now. I promise there’s nothing else going on, I’m all right now.”

 

She studied his face looking for signs that he was lying to her again, that he was sick or hurting himself again. When she didn’t see anything she smiled at him and said, “Right then, that’s settled! Come on down and I’ll make you something to eat.” She jumped up from the bed and headed to the door. “Oh ya” she said hesitantly “Robert was round right after you left for your run yesterday, he seemed… upset, wanted to know where you were. Said he tried to ring you and you weren’t answering.” 

 

Aaron sat up straight trying to hide the little smile on his face. “What did you tell him?”

 

In a look reminiscent of her son she rolled her eyes “The first time, I told him you had just left for a run. The second time, I told him you weren’t back yet. The third time, I told him that maybe he should take the hint and leave you alone. But by that time I was worried so I was about to go look for you myself. But then you came home.”

 

Aaron reached for his phone and turned it on “I left it here when I went out yesterday.” He grinned as the texts and voicemails Robert had left him appeared.  There were also some from Adam, Paddy and his mum, but he ignored those for now. He noticed his mom was still watching him.

 

“Oi, you can go now. I’ll be down in a minute.” He scowled at her.

 

He looked back at his phone as Chas left the room.

 

Robert had tried to call him minutes after he left Home Farm yesterday, but Aaron had sent it to voicemail. He listened to the message.

 

_“Aaron, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin it. I should of told you as soon as I got the text. I, I just didn’t want our week to be over.  This week has been brilliant. I know I keep hurting you and I’m so sorry. Please come back. I love you, Aaron.”_

 

The first text had come about 20 minutes later.

 

**I’m sorry.**

**Please come back.**

 

And 30 minutes after that

 

**I was just at the pub. Chas said you went on another run. Please take it easy.**

 

And 1 hour later

 

**I just left the pub again. Chas is right wound up. I can tell she’s worried.**

**Please let me know you’re alright.**

And 1 hour later another voicemail. He sounds right pissed in this one.

 

_“Aaron! Where the bloody hell are you? I just left the pub again. No one has seen you. I’m worried. I get it if you’re brassed off, but please, just let me know you’re ok. I’m going to look for you. Please Aaron, ring me, please.”_

 

Aaron listened to Robert’s pleas and felt horrible. Robert sounded really worried, but the last voicemail was from yesterday. He hadn’t rang or texted since. Aaron quickly dialed Robert’s number. If he had spent all night looking for him or waiting for him to call back, he was probably beyond pissed right now. But Chas hadn’t said anything about him being back today. Robert’s phone rang straight to voicemail. Aaron left a quick message.

 

“Sorry about yesterday. I’m fine. I’ll explain when I see you. Ring me.”

 

Aaron hung up and sent him a text.

 

**Sorry about yesterday. Where are you? I need to talk to you.**

Aaron stared at his phone for a minute waiting for a response. When he didn’t get one, he set it aside, and went to take a shower. 5 minutes later he returned to his room, water glistened on his chest, a towel wrapped around his waist. He checked his phone again, still nothing. He tried to call Robert once again, still no answer. He threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, some tennis shows, grabbed his phone and a jacket and headed downstairs. He put on the jacket as he started towards the door that will lead him to the pub.

 

“Oi, where do you think you are going? Get over here and eat.” Chas yelled at him.

 

He rolled his eyes at her “I’m fine, I’m going out.”

 

She walked towards the door still holding the plate with a sandwich on it.  “You’ve been asleep for almost a whole day, that means you haven’t eaten. You are not going anywhere until you sit down and…” before she could finish her rant, Aaron grabbed the sandwich and took a big bite.

 

He grinned at her mumbled “Ta, mum.” And walked out the door.

 

She shook her head, and watched him go with a fond but worried smile on her face.

 

Aaron stopped in the hall to check his phone again. Still nothing. Was Robert really this upset with him or is it just that Chrissie’s back and he’s busy. The thought of them reuniting in the house he and Robert spent the last week in made him feel nauseated. He threw the rest of the uneaten sandwich away as  he walked into the pub, all ready looking around for Robert. Instead he saw Adam and Vic and headed straight for their table.

 

“Vic, you seen Robert today?”

 

Adam and Vic looked up at him, but before Vic could answer Adam said,

“Oi, mate. I’ve rung and texted, an not heard a thing from you, and here you come waltzing up, not even a “Hello, Adam” or “All right Adam?” or a “sorry I’ve been a prat, mate.”

 

Aaron heaved an exasperated sigh and sat down. “All right, mate? Sorry I’ve been a prat. Have you seen Robert?”

 

Vic rolled her eyes at the two of them as Adam laughed at Aaron. “No, I’ve not seen him since yesterday. He must be bored, up in that big house all alone though. He came in here several times yesterday. Seemed right agro, snapping at everyone, had a go at Chas at least. Why you lookin for him anyway? What did he do now?”

 

Aaron shook his head and tried to look like he was uninterested. “Nothin, I was just supposed to take a look at his car earlier and I forgot. Ya know when Chrissie’s due back?”

 

Vic eyed him suspiciously but just said “When I asked him about it yesterday, after he bit my head off, he said not until this evening.”

 

Aaron stood up from the table. “I guess I’ll go to the garage, see if he left the car there.” As he walked off he threw over his shoulder “Ta, Vic, see ya.”

 

Vic looked at Adam who was taking a drink of his pint. “What was all that about?

 

Adam raised his eyebrows “What?”

 

Vic shook her head at him “You’re so oblivious.”


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron tried to call Robert again on the way to Home Farm. Still no answer. He pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. He hesitated for a moment trying to decide what to say if one of the staff or Chrissie opened the door. Robert had given them all the week off to hide their time together, but if Chrissie and Lawrence were coming back the staff might be too. Oh well, he’d just ask for Robert, thanks to the scrapyard he had a somewhat legitimate reason to talk to him. He’d just have to make it up to Robert if he got upset with him for not having a good enough excuse.  He knocked on the front door and waited. 

 

As he waited, Sam walked around the corner “All right, Aaron?”

 

Aaron turned towards him “Cheers, Sam. Robert about?”

 

“Nah, haven’t seen him since last week. He texted yesterday, said the boss would be back round tea time.”

 

Aaron checked his watch, 1:15, they wouldn’t be back for several hours. Aaron looked around, where could Robert be, and why wasn’t he responding to Aaron’s calls. He looked back at Sam who was just standing there waiting. “What about his car? Is it here?”

 

“Which one?” Sam laughed. He gestured toward the garage and started walking in that direction. Aaron followed.

 

Sam pulled out his keys and opened the garage door. They walked inside and looked around. Robert’s white sports car was sitting in it’s spot, but the spot next to it was empty.

 

Sam huffed “that’s odd, the Austin-Healey is gone. He doesn’t drive that one to much, says he’s saving it for special occasions.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes. He was frustrated and starting to get worried. He grunted “Ta, Sam.” And walked back to his car.

 

                                                            _____________

 

 

2 hours later Aaron arrived back at the Woolpack. After driving all around the village looking for Robert or his car and 2 more unanswered phone calls, he was even more worried. He didn’t know where else to look, or what else to do. He walked into the pub looking dejected.

 

“All right, son? You look gutted.” Chas said as she poured him a pint.

 

“What are on about? I’m fine.” He snapped as he took the offered pint.

 

“Riiiggght” she said, sarcastically before walking off.

 

His phone rang, he snatched it off of the bar and looked at the screen, praying it was Robert. He sighed and answered it. “What?”

 

Cain’s angry voice could be heard form the other end of the phone.

“Where are you? You were supposed to be at the garage an hour ago! No, I don’t care where you are, just get your arse over here. Now!” Cain hung up.

 

Aaron slammed his phone down on the bar almost spilling his pint. He chugged the rest of said pint, grabbed his phone and headed to the garage.

 

                                                            ______________

 

 

Aaron threw the wrench back in the tool box. He had been trying to work on this car for hours. “That’s it, I’m leaving!”

 

Cain looked up from the desk “You done all ready?”

 

“No”, Aaron glared at him. “I’m just making it worse!” He glanced at his phone, still nothing from Robert.

 

Cain stood up “well maybe if you’d stop looking at your phone, you could actually do some work.”

 

Aaron just scoffed at him.

 

“Fine, go, you can finish in the morning.” Cain sighed.

 

“I’m sure Ross can handle it, I’m at the scrapyard tomorrow.” Aaron called over his shoulder as he headed back to the Woolpack.

 

Cain rolled his eyes at Aaron’s back.

 

Aaron read through Robert’s texts from yesterday as he walked. He looked up as a truck passed him. It’s the Home Farm truck. He hurried towards it, hoping Robert would be alone in the truck. His steps faltered as Chrissie got out of the truck by herself. She noticed him standing there and called out to him. “Aaron!” 

 

“All right, Chrissie?” he responded.

 

“Sorry, I was just wondering if you’ve seen Robert? Sam said you were at Home Farm looking for him earlier. We just got back from the cottage, and he’s not at home. The staff hasn’t seen or heard from him since yesterday and he’s not answering his phone. I was hoping he’s here, but I don’t see his car.”

 

Aaron hesitated. What is he supposed to say? I’ve been looking for him everywhere and I’m starting to get really worried. He just shakes his head “No, sorry. I haven’t seen him since” he thinks back to the last time he saw Robert in public “yesterday morning at the Woolpack.”

 

His stomach twisted at the way her face fell, he can tell she’s worried. A part of him had assumed that Robert had ditched him to meet up with his family, but if even Chrissie didn’t know where he is, something was definitely wrong.

 

“Well, thanks. I’ll just go inside and see if Vic or anyone has heard from him.” She hurried inside. Aaron trailed after her. She waved at Vic who is standing behind the bar.

 

“Hello, Victoria. I’m looking for Robert have you seen him?”

 

“No, sorry Chrissie, not since yesterday.” Vic looked a question at Aaron. He just shook his head and sat down at the bar. “What’s going on?”

 

Chrissie looked around the pub as she said “No one’s seen him since yesterday. EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME.” The pub quieted as everyone turned to look at Chrissie. “I’m sorry to interrupt, I just need to know if anyone has seen Robert today?” There was a lot of murmurs and head shaking but no one spoke up.

 

Chrissie sighed.

 

The door opened and Lawrence walked in.

 

“Oh, Dad, did you find him?” Chrissie called out to her father.

 

He shook his head and said “Umm, no. But why don’t we go home and talk about it.” Lawrence glanced around at all of the people watching them. He held his arm out to Chrissie as if to usher her out of the building.

 

She frowned at him, but allowed him to put his arm around her. “Just tell me what…” She trailed off as her phone chimed and she pulled it out to read the text she had just received. She gasped and would of fallen if Lawrence’s arm wasn’t around her. He led her to a bar stool and helped her sit.

 

“Chrissie what is it, what’s happened?” When she didn’t answer, he took her phone and read the text.

 

“I knew it! That little bastard!” He exclaimed.

 

Vic frowned at them, “Don’t talk about my brother like that! What’s he done now? Is he ok?”

 

Lawrence glared at her. “He’s gone.” Vic grabbed the phone out of Lawrence’s hand before he could stop her.

 

**I can’t do this anymore. I’m leaving. Tell my family I’m sorry and not to look for me.**

Aaron’s heart stuttered when Vic read Robert’s text out loud. He grabbed his phone, still nothing. His mind spun. Robert wouldn’t leave, not after everything. He was so worried in his messages yesterday, and they had had such a good week at Home Farm, until Aaron had left. Robert wouldn’t have just ran off, it doesn’t make any sense.

 

Aaron looked at Chrissie she just sat there in shock. Lawrence was ranting about how he knew all along Robert couldn’t be trusted. Adam had gone around the bar to put his arm around Vic. Aaron’s eyes met Chas’s as she moved to stand in front of him.

 

“Did you get a message luv?” She asked quietly so only Aaron could hear her.

 

Aaron just shook his head. Chas patted his hand, but didn’t say anything.

 

“That’s why the Austin-Healey isn’t at home, I wondered why he was driving it.” Chrissie spoke as if to herself. Everyone looked at her.

 

Lawrence cleared his throat, he spoke to his daughter, “I wasn’t going to say anything in front of everyone, but the safe was cleaned out.”

 

Adam spoke into the quiet, “How much was it?” Vic slapped his arm and frowned at him. “Oh, ya sorry, don’t matter.” He said sheepishly.

 

Lawrence glared at him but answered the question, “I’m not sure exactly, 40 to 50 thousand pounds.”

 

Vic had pulled out her phone and was trying to call Robert. “No answer” she said.

 

Diane put her arm around Vic, “I’m sorry to say it , but it seems like he’s pulled a runner, and doesn’t want to be found, sweetheart.”

 

Aaron shook his head angrily, he wanted to yell at all of these people. _NO, no, he wouldn’t just leave. He wouldn’t leave ME like this. Something is wrong!_ But he didn’t, he kept his mouth shut as he stood up and went through the back door.

 

Chas followed him into the hall, “Aaron, where are you going?

 

He went into the living room and slammed the door behind him. Chas squealed as the door almost hit her in the face. She paused for a moment and opened the door. Aaron was pacing back and forth in the living room.

 

When Chas entered the room he looked up, “Mum, something’s wrong. He didn’t leave. I know he didn’t. He was looking for me, he was worried, he didn’t just leave.”

 

Chas stepped in front of him to stop the pacing and the frantic speaking. She put her hands on his arms “Luv,” she said sympathetically.  Before she could say anything else, the door behind them opened and Paddy came in.

 

“Whew, what is going on in there? Everyone’s speaking all hushed, and weird. You’d think somebody died or something.” Paddy’s laugh stopped abruptly as he saw Aaron’s face. “Oh, no did someone die?” He asked.

 

“Chas turned to him. “No, Paddy. No one has died.” As soon as Chas released Aaron he turned away from her and resumed his pacing.

 

“It’s Robert” she glanced at Aaron and spoke low to Paddy. “It looks like he’s done a runner.”

 

Aaron stopped walking abruptly. “No! No, he didn’t something is wrong! He wouldn’t just leave!”

 

Aaron turned abruptly and headed towards the door.   


Paddy grabbed his arm as he tried to walk past him. He moved to stand between Aaron and the door. “Wait, sit down and tell me exactly what’s happened.”

 

Aaron refused to sit down but he knew that if he didn’t explain Paddy wouldn’t let him leave easily. So, he started talking to him (and subsequently Chas).

 

“Fine,” he looked down, to avoid both sets of eyes. “Last week Robert stayed at Home Farm while the family went on holiday so we could have some time together. Yesterday, when he told me Chrissie was coming home today, I got upset and left. I went on a run and left my phone at home, apparently Robert was worried. He tried to call several times, he texted and even came to the Woolie looking for me. The last time Mum saw him there was around 3:45 yesterday. He left me a message, he was worried, he said he was going to look for me. He didn’t just leave. Something must of happened to him, maybe he had an accident or something.” He looked up at Paddy with a determined look, “Now, I’m going to look for him, so move out of my way, Paddy.”

 

“Aaron, luv, I’m sorry, but he texted Chrissie that he’s leaving.  If he had an accident or something, who sent that text?” Aaron glared at Chas as she stared back at him.

 

Paddy looked between Aaron and Chas, “all right Aaron, come on, I’ll go with you. “

 

Aaron nodded and headed out the door.

 

“Paddy, what are you doing? You know what kind of person Robert is, he probably had another bloke on the side, and ran off.”

 

Paddy shook his head “All I know Chas, is that Aaron doesn’t believe Robert left, and obviously he’s sees something in Robert that we don’t. Plus, you know Aaron, he’s going to go whether we want him to or not, at least this way I can keep him out of trouble.” He hurried out the door after Aaron.


	4. Chapter 4

Chas sat at the kitchen table taping her fingernails, impatiently, waiting for Aaron and Paddy to return from their search for Robert. It was now 10pm , they have been gone for 4 hours. She picked up her phone to call Paddy, but as she dialed the number the door opened. Aaron started up the stairs without even glancing at her. He stopped and without turning said

 

“I’m going out again as soon as there’s light.” He continued upstairs and slammed his door in the distance.

 

Paddy sat down at the table as Chas got him a cup of tea. “Is he ok?” she asked Paddy.

 

Paddy shook his head and took the offered cup. He used it to warm his hands as he took a sip.

 

“I’m not sure. First we went everywhere he thought Robert might go to look form him. The scrapyard, the woods where he usually runs, the barn at Wiley’s farm, the quarry where Andy almost topped himself. We were driving the roads looking for signs of an accident, it got so dark you couldn’t see much from the car. So he got out and started walking. It started raining, it was freezing and pitch black. I had to almost drag him back to the car.”

 

Paddy realized the horrified expression his words had caused on Chas’s face. He patted her hand.

 

“I’m sure he’ll be okay Chas. Tomorrow it will sink in that Robert ran off and he will move on.” Chas frowned at him, “Okay maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. We just have to keep an eye on him until then. If only Robert had been nice enough to send Aaron a text as well. Then at least he would believe it.”

 

Paddy stood, and carried his cup to the sink. “I better get home. You go on up to bed, I’ll be back at first light to go out with him.”

 

“Ta, Paddy, I don’t know what we would do without you.” Chas gave Paddy a hug and showed him out.

 

She turned out all the lights and headed upstairs. As she neared the top of the stairs she could hear muffled speech coming from Aaron’s room. She pressed her ear to the door and tried to hear what he was saying.

 

“You’re sure, no one with the name Robert Sugden, no John Doe’s admitted tonight?” Chas sighed. He was calling hospitals. She thought about going in and trying to get him to go to sleep, but she knew it was no use. Instead she turned and went to her room.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron’s alarm went off at 5 AM. He grabbed his phone off of his chest where he had sat it after calling every near by hospital he could think of last night. He silenced it and sat up. He wasn’t sure where else to look for Robert but he was determined to check everywhere. Maybe he would just start over, since it was daytime and would be easier to see. Aaron slipped his black hoodie on over the t-shirt and jeans he had been wearing yesterday. His tennis shoes had gotten muddy last night, so he put on his boots and headed downstairs as quietly as he could. Hoping to slip out before anyone got up. He walked into the living room and saw his mum and Paddy sitting at the table. 

 

Chas jumped up “Morning, luv. Here I made you some breakfast and there’s some coffee. And before you say no, Paddy and I are going to go with you and help you look, but not until you eat. So, don’t argue, just listen to your mum.”

 

Aaron grabbed the bacon sandwich his mom had made and took a big bite.  Chas knew he wasn’t going to sit down, so she filled a thermos with coffee, and said “Okay, lets go.” Paddy and Chas headed for the door.

 

“Guys?” Paddy and Chas paused and looked at Aaron. “Ta.” He said quietly.

 

                                                            __________

 

Paddy pulled his SUV up to the Woolpack and parked. Chas was sitting in the passenger seat, she looked in the rearview mirror at Aaron who was slumped in the back seat. She started to say something, but stopped when she realized she had no idea what to say to her son.

 

Paddy said, “I really am sorry, Aaron, but we’ve looked all over, twice, and I just don’t know where else to look. If I could think of anywhere else to go…”

 

Aaron glanced up at him “I know, Paddy.” Aaron replied. He opened the car door and started to get out.

 

“Aaron…” Chas tried to stop him. He ignored her, slammed the door and walked off down the road.

 

Chas started to go after him, but Paddy stopped her. “He’ll be back, he just needs some time, Chas.”

                       

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron walked down the road, thoughts swirling around his head. Just yesterday he had laid on the cold hard ground in the woods all alone and decided that he was going to believe Robert, believe in Robert. Take whatever parts of himself Robert was willing to offer. He knows who Robert is, some of the things he’s done, but he also sees behind the mask that Robert wears with everyone. It’s almost like he’s worn it to so long, sometimes he forgets the man he is underneath. Aaron knows Robert loves him, and he knows Robert wouldn’t leave, not like this, without a word.

He pulled out his phone and listened to the voicemails Robert had left him yesterday.  With Robert’s final “Please Aaron, ring me, please” a tear rolled down Aaron’s cheek. As he started to pull the phone away from his ear he heard someone speaking in the background.  He stopped walking and restarted the message. He pressed the phone back against his ear, listening intently.  It was there, after Robert finished speaking to Aaron, he can hear someone, but he can’t quite make out who it is or what they are saying.  Aaron turned every volume setting he can find on his phone up as high as it will go. He restarted the message again, stuck his finger in his left ear and pressed the phone hard to his right ear.  He can hear the words more clearly this time “Lovely day for a walk…”. He turned and ran back the way he came.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron pounded on Edna’s front door. When she didn’t immediately open it, he pounded harder. 

 

He heard her yelling from inside “I’m coming, I’m coming.” A second later the front door opened.

 

“Aaron? Stop that pounding, I’m an old woman, you have to give me a second to get to the door. How can I….”

 

Before she could finish her sentence Aaron burst out “I need to know where you saw Robert yesterday.” 

 

Edna stared at him, taken aback by his outburst “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“Yesterday, you spoke to Robert Sugden, I need to know where he was and everything he said to you.”

 

Edna gave him a confused look but seeing how upset he is, she stepped back into the house and said, “Well, I can’t tell you much but come inside, I’ll make us some tea.”

 

Aaron entered the house but said, “I don’t want any tea, I just need to know everything about your conversation.”

 

Edna eyed the young man with exasperation. “Aaron, you know, I’m not one for idle gossip. What is going on? Why are you so upset? Sit down and tell me exactly what’s going on.”

 

Aaron glared at her but sat down at her kitchen table. “Yesterday around 4:00 you spoke to Robert. Tell me where you were and what he said.”

 

“Well, I’m sorry but I don’t feel comfortable gossiping.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes “Listen, it’s not gossip. No one has seen Robert since yesterday, his family thinks that he ran off, but it’s possible that something happened to him. You may have been one of the last people to see him in the village.”

 

“Oh, dear. That’s horrible.” She gasped “Since it’s for a good cause, I’ll tell you everything I know. Let’s see. I was out for a walk around 4 like you said, it was such a lovely afternoon.”

 

Aaron made a speed it up gesture with his hand. Edna frowned at him but continued

 

“I was walking back toward the village, I was around the bend from the bus stop. I saw Robert, he was on his cell, and appeared to be agitated. He hung up as I was walking toward him, I said hello. I was just trying to be polite, I’ve never really liked that man, always rude. Anyway, he looked at me like he hadn’t even noticed I was there. He looked upset so I asked him if everything was all right. I expected him to make a smart comment but he didn’t, he just said “No, I don’t think so.” Then he asked if I had seen anyone back the way I had come. I told him yes, and he got excited for a moment, but when I told him I had spoken with Zak Dingle on my way past the cottage his face fell again. We parted ways, me towards the village, him back the way I had come. A minute or so later I heard an…” she hesitated, “expletive. I turned around and it was Robert. A car had pulled up beside him, and someone grabbed his arm through the window. He appeared to be angry, so I called back to see if everything was all right. He looked at me then back at the car, then back and at me and said everything was fine, he had just been startled by an old friend, to go on. He smiled and waved. So I left. A few seconds later the car drove by with Robert in the back seat. They drove back toward the village, then a few minutes later Robert drove by in his fancy white sports car, there was a woman in the front seat and a man in the back, and the other car was following behind it with only one person in it.”

 

Edna sat looking at Aaron after she finished her story, waiting for him to say something. After a few moments of silence, he said “Can you tell me anything else about the people, or the car even?”

 

Edna thought about it. “The woman was pretty, she had blonde hair. The man in the back seat I couldn’t see very well. The other car, the man reminded me of my husband, Howard when he was young, handsome, short brown hair.” She smiled at Aaron, waiting for him to say something.

 

“The car? What kind of car was it?” He asked impatiently.

 

She shook her head, “I don’t know much about cars, it was black, umm, four doors. Oh, I think it was a hire car, it had a sticker in the window. It was a cartoon car with a big hand waving out of the window.” She looked at Aaron hanging on her every word, she tried to think of anything else about the car. He seemed so desperate for information. She closed her eyes and pictured the car.

 

“Please tell me you remember the number plate?” Aaron almost begged her. She held up her finger. Aaron waited.

 

“YA 14 E…” She opens her eyes “I’m sorry I don’t remember the rest.” Aaron smiled at her and jumped up from the table. He grabbed her and kissed her on the cheek.

 

“Who knew your nosiness would come in handy. Ta!” He said as he started to leave.

 

“Oh, do you think maybe you should tell Lawrence what you saw? Maybe it will convince him that the police should be called, that maybe Robert didn’t leave on his own.” Aaron didn’t wait for a response, he just left Edna sitting at her kitchen table staring after him.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron jogged across the street to the shop, he bought a notebook and a pen and sat down at the picnic table in front of the Woolpack. He opened the notebook and started writing down everything Edna had told him about yesterday.  Then he turned to a new page and started making a timeline with all the messages Robert had left him, and the people who had seen Robert. Then he opened a new page and started making a list of the things he needed to do. Talk to his mum and find out exactly what Robert had said to her.  Figure out who hired the car that had picked Robert up.

 

As Aaron was scribbling furiously in his notebook Paddy had walked up to the picnic table and said “All right, Aaron?”

 

There had been no response from Aaron so Paddy just sat down across from him and waited. He thought about kicking Aaron’s foot under the table or something, but there was something about the franticness of Aaron’s writing that stopped him.

 

Several minutes later Aaron stopped writing and took a deep breath. He looked up and seemed to spot Paddy sitting across him for the first time.

 

“Oi, Paddy. What are you doing? Why are you creeping?” Aaron glared at him.

 

“Sorry. I said your name, you didn’t respond, so I was just waiting for you to finish writing your… What exactly were you writing?”

 

“Oh” he looked down at his notebook and quickly shut it “it’s nothing. Don’t you have cows to save or something?” He got up and went into the pub. Paddy looked after him worriedly.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron sat down at the bar and waved his mom over. She finished pouring a pint for a customer, then poured one for Aaron and carried it to him. She smiled at him “All right, luv?”

 

He nodded and ignored the pint she sat in front of him. “I need you to tell me everything that Robert said to you yesterday. Did he talk to anyone else or just you?”

 

Chas raised her eyebrow at Aaron and considered whether it was worth it to try to talk him down or just answer his questions. “The first time he came in he sat down at the bar, asked for a pint and when I brought it to him he _casually_ asked if I knew where you were at. I said of course I knew, but why should I tell him. He just looked at me, with his clenched jaw. I told him you went for a run. He sat there another minute or so and then he left. The second time he came right up to me as I was talking to Debbie, He asked if you were back yet. Debbie made a comment about him being rude, I agreed with her. Then I looked at his face and he seemed… upset, almost frantic.  I said I hadn’t seen you. He motioned me to the side and we stepped away from Debbie. He told me to try and call you. I asked him what was going on, why he was so worried. I tried to call you while I tried to get him to tell me what was going on. You didn’t answer. I told him I was sure you were fine. He just shook his head and stalked off. That’s all that he said Aaron. Are you all right?”

 

“I’m fine mum” Aaron got up and went through the back to the living room.  Chas started to follow him but realized she was the only one working the bar. She sighed and pulled out her cell to call Paddy.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron sat down on the edge of the couch and looked through his notebook.  The only thing he knew was that someone had picked Robert up and gone with him, back to Home Farm. He needed to find out who had hired that car, but he wasn’t sure how to go about that. He could talk to everyone that works at Home Farm and see if anyone saw anything, but they weren’t supposed to be there at the time, so most likely they didn’t.  The police could find out, but they would never believe him, maybe if he could convince the White’s to call them, but first he would have to get the White’s to believe him. Maybe, what Edna saw would be enough to convince them, but he doubted it. He could tell them about him and Robert, but that would most likely just make them more angry and less likely to try and look for Robert. Plus he didn’t want to tell Chrissie about the affair. He wanted that to be something Robert would decide to do when he came back. He dropped his notebook on the coffee table, and put his head in his hands. He wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there, when someone cleared their throat. He looked up to see Paddy watching him with concern.

 

Aaron rolled his eyes and sat back on the couch. “What are you doing here?”

 

Paddy sat down beside him “Your mum called. She was worried.”

 

Aaron sighed “I’m fine, Paddy.”

 

Paddy contemplated him for a minute “No you’re not Aaron, but it’s ok, I understand. Just tell me what I can do to help.”

 

Aaron scoffed at him “Unless you know how to hack a rental car company’s database, I don’t know what you can do.”

 

Paddy frowned “Well, I don’t know how to do that but maybe we can figure something else out. What do you need from a rental car company?”

 

Aaron told him everything that Edna had seen.

 

“Well, what we is need a police officer, or… an investigator!” Paddy jumped up,

 

“Come on we’ll go talk to Harriet. Maybe she can help.” Aaron started to tell him he didn’t have the money to hire an investigator. “Don’t worry about the money. I’ll take care of it. We’ll make Robert repay me when he comes back.” Paddy grinned at Aaron.

 

Aaron smiled back and they both went to talk to Harriet.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Aaron was working at the scrapyard straightening up outside. He had been inside helping Adam with the paperwork, but had been kicked out after the 3rd mistake Adam had noticed. He just couldn’t concentrate. He pulled out his cell to see if Harriet had called yet. Yesterday she had told him and Paddy that it shouldn’t be hard for her to find out who had rented that car. As he was putting his phone back in his pocket, a car pulled into the yard and Harriet got out. Aaron hurried over to her,

 

“All right, Harriet? You find out anything?”

 

Harriet nodded at him “So, finding the company was easy, the logo with cartoon car is for a company called Leeds Rental Cars. Now, finding out who rented that car was a little more difficult. I may have had to bribe a cashier, so I’m going to need reimbursed for that.”

 

Aaron nodded at her “Ya, ya whatever you need, just tell me what you found out.”

 

“Ok, the car was hired by a Leonard P Jones, the morning of the 6th which was the day Robert disappeared. It was returned yesterday afternoon. I got a copy of the guys drivers license, and I’m having a buddy at the police station run it. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear back from him.”

 

“When will that be?” Aaron asked impatiently.

 

“Well…” Harriet started to say as her cell rung in her pocket, she pulled it out “How about now? You have a printer in there?” She gestured towards the port a cabin.

 

Aaron nodded excitedly. “Ya, come on.”

 

He led Harriet inside and held his hand up as Adam said, “Come on, Mate! I’m trying to work here.”

 

“We just need to use the printer, Adam. It’s important.”

 

Adam rolled his eyes, but moved away from the computer.

 

Harriet sat down and accessed her email. They waited as several pages began to print.

 

Aaron grabbed the pages as they printed and started reading.

 

Leonard “Lenny” Jones had an address in Leeds.

He’d been arrested multiple times for vandalism, shoplifting, petty theft, public drunkeness, harassment, auto theft, assault, battery and burglary. Some of the charges had stuck others had been dismissed. He had several stints in prison over the years.

 

Aaron noticed Harriet was on the phone, “Yes, I got it, thanks mate, I owe you one… Oh, really? No, that’s really helpful! Cheers!”

 

Harriet hung up and looked at Robert with a smile “Ok, so he spoke to a friend of his that arrested Lenny once, He says that Lenny is not the smartest criminal he’s ever met, but a couple years ago he saved some idiots life, anyway turns out the man he saved was the younger brother of Gabriel “Mac” McDermott, a well known criminal. So, Mac has taken Lenny under his wing, and now Lenny doesn’t do anything without Macs say so.”

 

“So, we just need to talk to this Mac guy and find out what Lenny wants with Robert.” Aaron exclaimed.

 

Harriet started to speak but Adam cuts in. “Wait, whatever is going on here is about Robert? I thought he did a runner, what are you getting yourself involved in mate?”

He looked to Aaron for an answer.

 

Aaron glanced at him, but said, “Don’t worry about it mate, I’m taking care of it.”

 

Adam scoffed, “Somehow that doesn’t fill me with confidence. I want to know what’s going on. Why do you even care where Robert is?”

 

“Come on Adam, I said don’t worry about it. We gotta go.” He walked out of the office, Harriet shrugged at Adam and followed Aaron out of the building.

 

“Aaron, wait. Mac is a big time criminal, you can’t just walk up to him and start asking questions.”

 

Aaron started to argue with her. “Listen, if you’re right and Robert didn’t leave then it’s very possible that Lenny and/or Mac took him for some reason. If you go in there and start asking questions you could get him hurt or worse killed.”

 

Aaron looked away, “Fine, what is it you want to do?”

 

“Let me see what I can find out before you do anything stupid. If there’s any connection between Robert and these guys I’ll find it. You just have to let me do my job, ok?”

 

Aaron nodded at her, “You have until tomorrow, and then I’m going to talk to somebody.”

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron walked into the Woolpack looking for Vic. He spotted her behind the bar and sat down. “Can I get a pint Vic?”

 

She nodded and started pouring. She sat the glass down in front of him and said, “What’s happened to you? You look like knackered.”

 

Aaron took a drink “Nothing, I’m fine. Hey, has anyone heard anything else from Robert?” He tried to sound casual, but from the look in Vic’s eyes he hadn’t pulled it off.

 

“No, not that I’ve heard. Why?” She asked.

 

“No reason,” Aaron said a little to angrily. “I just find it a little crappy that everyone has just written him off.”

 

“Written him off? We haven’t written him off. Diane and I have both called and texted him loads of times, there’s no answer. He’s the one that texted and said he was doing a runner!” Adam walked in during Vic’s rant. He stood behind Aaron waiting.

 

“Ya, he supposedly texted Chrissie, but he didn’t text you or Diane or…” he started to say “me, he didn’t text me”, but trailed off with “anyone.”

 

Vic’s voice rose as she became more angry. “So! He didn’t tell me the first time he was leaving, I barely spoke to him while he was gone. I’m just his sister. Why would he tell me anything? Same for Diane. Chrissie was the only one he cared about and he left her!”

 

Aaron’s eyes flashed “Whatever.” He grumbled as he stood up to leave. He turned and bumped into Adam standing behind him. Aaron pushed past him and hurried out through the back before he says something he’ll regret.

 

Adam followed him and grabbed Vic’s arm as he passed, pulling her with him.

 

“Oi, what are you doing?” She complained to Adam.

 

“There’s something wrong, with him. Come on.”

 

“Ya, there’s something wrong with him. He’s being a prat! What else is new.” Vic responded under her breath as Adam led her to the living room where Aaron was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.

 

Adam sat down across from him with a sympathetic look on his face. Vic stood with her arms cross glaring between the two of them.

 

“Mate,” Adam said soothingly “what’s going on? Why did you hire Harriet to look into those guys, and what does it have to do with Robert leaving?”

 

Aaron doesn’t move or respond. Vic said, “What? What guys? What are you going on about? Does this have something to do with why you were looking for Robert the other day? What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into now?” Vic sat down beside Adam, waiting for Aaron’s response.

 

Aaron sat there for a minute trying to decide what to tell them. Vic started to speak again, but Adam put his hand on her arm to stop her. They waited in silence.

 

Finally Aaron took a deep breath and lifted his head. He said, “I promised I wouldn’t say anything, but I had to tell my mum and Paddy. I shouldn’t tell anyone else.” He looked intently at them both with tears in his eyes. Then he turned and made sure the doors to the living room were closed. “You have to promise, you won’t say a word to anyone! No matter what!”

 

They both nodded. “Promise!” He said. They looked at each other and back at Aaron.

 

“We promise.” they said in unison.

 

Aaron stood up and started to pace not looking at them. “Robert and I have been having an affair. We’ve been together for a couple of months now. He wouldn’t just leave without telling me. Something is wrong.”

 

He stopped walking and looked up at them. They both stared at him with their mouths hanging open.

 

Aaron sat back down on the couch, waiting for one of them to speak. Finally Adam said, “Ok, I’m going to need more then that. Tell me everything.”

 

Aaron didn’t tell them everything, he didn’t mention Katie, but he told them enough for them to understand.  He told them how Robert and him fought alot, how they both struggled, how they had spent the week together at Home Farm, how Robert was worried about him the day he disappeared, he told them what Edna saw, he told them about him and Paddy hiring Harriet and everything she found out. When he was done talking he sat quietly, waiting. 

 

Eventually Adam said, “It sounds like you really care about him, but from what Vic’s told me he’s always done this kind of thing. Cheated I mean. So…” Adam trailed off.

 

“So, how do I know he wasn’t just done with me?” Aaron finished. He pulled out his cell and played the voicemails that Robert had left him.

 

_“Aaron, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin it. I should of told you as soon as I got the text. I, I just didn’t want our week to be over.  This week has been brilliant. You are brilliant. I know I keep hurting you and I’m so sorry. Please come back. I love you, Aaron.”_

 

_“Aaron! Where the bloody hell are you? I just left the pub again. No one has seen you. I’m worried. I get it if you’re brassed off, but please, just let me know you’re ok. I’m going to look for you. Please Aaron, ring me, please.”_

When the second voicemail ended, Vic said disbelievingly “My own brother is gay and he never told me? Why wouldn’t he tell me?” She looked at Aaron.

 

Aaron shook his head and said with a small smile “He doesn’t like to be labeled.”

 

Vic scoffed. “So, you think the fact that he said those things, means he didn’t leave. But as we have determined, Robert is an expert liar. So…I don’t know Aaron.” She looked down.

 

Adam said, “I believe you mate. If you’re sure, I’m sure. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

 

“Cheers.” Aaron smiled at his best friend. “Right now, I’m just waiting to hear back from Harriet. Hopefully she’ll find something soon.”

 

Vic sighed. Aaron and Adam turned to look at her. She said, “I don’t know if Robert left, and I’m upset, but not surprised that he’s been lying and cheating again, but he’s still my brother and I love him. So, if there’s any chance that he’s in trouble, I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

 

“Vic?” Diane called as she opened the door and entered the living room.

 

Three sets of eyes looked at her and she said, “Oh, is everything all right, dears?”

 

Vic jumped up and went to her “Everything’s fine Diane, what did you need?”

 

Diane looked unconvinced but said, “Umm, it’s almost tea time, and you weren’t in the kitchen, so…”

 

“Oh, right, right.” She turned back to the boys “I’ve gotta get back to work.”

 

Adam nodded, “Ya, come on Aaron let’s get a drink.”

 

Adam and Aaron followed Vic and Diane back into the pub.

 

Aaron spotted Edna sitting at a table by herself, He said to Adam “Grab me a pint will ya, I’ll be right back.”

 

He stopped beside the table and said, “Did you talk to Lawrence?”

 

“Well, hello to you too Aaron. Yes, I spoke with him, I told him what I saw.”

 

“Was he going to call the police.” Aaron asked

 

Edna shook her head “No, we both agreed that nothing I saw was nefarious in anyway. It could have just been an old friend, like he said”

 

“Seriously, you didn’t have a problem sticking your nose in the arson thing, but when someone might actually be in trouble you refuse to call the police.” He scoffed at her disgustedly and walked off.

 

Aaron sat down at the bar beside Adam. “Did it work? Are they going to call the police?” Adam asked.

 

“No, _they both agreed_ it doesn’t mean that he didn’t run off.”

 

They both took a drink of their pints. Aaron looked at Adam, “What’s that look. You’re thinking so hard you’re going to hurt yourself.”

 

Adam stuck his tongue out at Aaron. “Very funny. We don’t need the Whites to call the police, Vic is his family she could do it. They might not listen, but at least she could try.”

 

Aaron nodded, “It’s worth a shot. Think she’ll do it?”

 

Adam shrugged his shoulder and took another drink. 

 

Paddy walked up behind them and placed an arm around them both. “All right boys? You sloshed yet?” Paddy laughed.

 

Both boys shrugged him off. “What are you on about? We just got here.”

 

Paddy ignored them and said, “Can I talk to you in private Aaron?”

 

Aaron frowned at him “What, why?”

 

Paddy glanced at Adam. “Oh, I told Adam and Vic everything, Paddy. It’s fine.”

 

“Oh.” Paddy exclaimed “All right, I just wondered if you heard from Harriet today?”

 

Aaron told Paddy what Harriet had found out. “She’s still looking for a link between them. If she hasn’t found anything by tomorrow, I’m going to talk to them myself.”

 

“What? No you’re not! You are not going to talk to a bunch of criminals by yourself!” Paddy stated emphatically.

 

Aaron’s eyebrows raised “Really, Paddy? You going to stop me, or go with me?”

 

Paddy laughed a brief, disbelieving laugh. “Good one, no. I know I can’t stop you from going but I can get Cain to go with you.”

 

Aaron scoffed and rolled his eyes “Fine, Paddy, I’ll take Cain.”

 

Paddy nodded with a pleased expression on his face. “Good. Make sure you do. Oh, Rhona’s here see ya later boys.”

 

Adam leaned closer to Aaron “You’re not really going to take Cain are you?”

 

Aaron smirked at him “Of course not, it’s not like I can tell him why I’m going.”

 

Adam nodded, “Ok, but I’m going with you then! Paddy’s right, you shouldn’t go alone.”

 

Aaron sighed, “Fine, I work at the garage in the morning, I’ll find out from Harriet where we can find Mac and pick you up at the scrapyard at 1. Ok?”

 

Aaron drank the rest of his pint and stood. “I’m going. Talk to Vic and see if she’ll agree to report Robert missing.”

 

                                                                        _________

 

 

The next morning, Aaron got up as usual and got ready for work. He left the house Telling Chas he was late for work as she yelled at him to eat some breakfast.

 

He called the garage and left a message saying he wasn’t coming in. Debbie was going to be pissed, but he didn’t care. Last night when he told Adam he would pick him up he had no intention of doing it. He knew Adam was going to be upset, but it was better that then letting him get involved with these people.

 

Aaron got into his car and scrolled through his phone. He had mostly stayed to himself in prison, but there had been a couple of guys he had become acquainted with, and two that he had actually earned a favor with. Eddie was a weird little dude who had no clue how to survive prison. He had reminded Aaron of Sean Spencer and so Aaron had looked out for him, saved his ass a couple of times.

Ian was a different story, he had been a lieutenant in a crew in London, until he had come back home to take care of his sick mum. He had brought some guys with him and had quickly become one of the top dogs in Leeds. He had got picked up for something stupid and spent 13 months in prison. Aaron had been in the right place at the right time when an idiot rival had tried to take him out and Aaron had stopped him, he hadn’t even really meant to do it. Just saw the guy with the shank and tackled him. He had never planned on collecting from Ian, but he wasn’t sure how else to find out what he needed to know.

 

                                                            _________

 

 

Aaron pulled up in front of a dodgy rundown pub. He took a deep breath, and went inside. The place definitely wasn’t busy but there were a few people scattered around. They all stopped what they were doing and stared at him. Apparently they didn’t get many new customers. He ignored them and walked up to the bartender.

 

“I’m looking for Ian. He’s expecting me.”

 

The bartender gestured to a 20 something guy wearing a black beanie and sitting alone at the end of the bar. Without a word, he got up and went through a door into a back room.

 

The bartender turned away from Aaron and started putting away some glasses. A few seconds later the guy returned, and gestured for Aaron to go through the door ahead of him.

 

“Aaron! So good to see you!” Ian boomed as he entered through a different door. Ian was taller then Aaron and broad shouldered with jet black hair. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit, which he looked awfully fit in. He almost always had a smile on his face, until he didn’t, and when he didn’t that’s when you should either run or start begging. Aaron had seen him lose that smile a few times in prison and it had not been pretty.

 

Aaron smiled as he shook Ian’s offered hand. Ian didn’t release him but pulled him into a bro hug. “You too, Ian.”

 

Ian released him “Come on man, come on into the back, you can tell me how I can repay that favor I owe you.”

 

Aaron followed Ian into a large room. There was a poker table at one end of the room with several men sitting around it, and a couple couches and chairs surrounding a tv in the middle. At the other end was a desk, with 2 chairs in front of it. Ian led him to the desk and sat down in one of the chairs. He gestured for Aaron to take the other one.

 

Aaron sat down and said, “Thanks, for seeing me Ian, I’m sorry it’s so urgent.”

 

Ian waved away Aaron’s thanks “Hey, I told you, anything you need. I owe you one for what you did for me on the inside. When someone needs my kind of help it’s usually time sensitive.” Ian grinned at him. “So, tell me what’s up.”

 

Aaron had thought about what to say to him all the way here.  “My mate disappeared on the 6th. I tracked down a hired car he was last seen getting into. A friend found out who hired the car and who the guy works for, supposedly he doesn’t do anything without his bosses ok. I need to find out anything I can about what happened that day and where my mate is.” Aaron paused. Ian’s smile was still present but it had faltered a little bit. Aaron hurried on “I know this is a big ask, and kind of vague, but I didn’t know who else to turn to.”

 

Ian sighed. He looked around the room and back at Aaron, “I don’t like getting involved in other peoples business, but for you I will see if I can get you in touch with this man. Who is it you need to speak to?”

 

Aaron said “Gabriel McDermott.”

 

Ian laughed “Whew, for a second there I though this might be a hard one!” Aaron just stared at him unsure of what to say.

 

As Ian continued to chuckle he pulled a cell phone out of his jacket pocket.  He paused and looked at Aaron, “This info you want, it’s only for your use? You don’t plan on telling anything I find out to the authorities. Right?”

 

Aaron nodded.

 

The smile disappeared from Ian’s face. “I need your word, that you will not mention my involvement, or that of any of my associates, to anyone especially the police!”

 

Aaron nodded again, and said, “I give you my word, I won’t tell the cops. If I do need to tell my private investigator I’ll be general and not use any names. Nothing that could in any way lead back to any of you.”

 

Ian’s smile returned, he pressed a few buttons on his cell and held the phone to his ear.

 

“Mac, you all right mate?” Ian asked over the phone.

 

“Ya, ya all right. Hey, I need some information from you.” Aaron listened to the conversation, praying that Mac would know something and that Ian could get it out of him.

 

“On the 6th a man…” he put his hand over the phone and said to Aaron “What’s his name?”

 

“Robert Sugden” Aaron replied.

 

Ian returned to the call “Robert Sugden, disappeared. I have reason to believe that he was last seen in a car with…” Before Ian could ask Aaron supplied the name.

“Lenny Jones. I need to know what the story is.”

Ian listened for a minute as the smile slipped even more, then he interrupted the other man his tone still friendly but somehow harder. “Mac, I understand, your loyal to your friends, especially ones you would do such a big favor for, but you see, this information is to repay a favor _I_ owe to a friend. So, you need to decide who’s a better friend to you _me_ or this other guy.” 

 

Ian chuckled and the smile returned full force. “Good choice, Mac, good choice.”

 

Ian listened for several minutes then he said, “I understand you were only repaying a debt, and that was the end of it. That would be great, Mac! You can get that? Ya, email it to me ASAP. Great. Cheer’s mate!”

 

Ian hung up the phone and smiled at Aaron.

 

“So, turns out Mac loaned out Lenny to repay a debt. The guy told Lenny to get a car (he assumed he would “borrow” one) instead he rented one with his own name. He’s not the smartest guy, but I guess that’s good for you. Anyway, Mac owed this guy so Lenny helped him pick up Robert. The girl showed up with the him, Lenny didn’t even get a name.”

 

Aaron leaned forward “Why? What do they want with him?”

 

Ian got up and went around the desk, he sat down at the computer and started typing as he spoke “Mac didn’t get into all of it, the guy blames Robert for…. Here we go, Mac said he looked into the whole thing before he agreed to help. He’s emailed everything he found out.” The printer next to the desk started up and Ian handed Aaron a couple of pages and started reading one himself.

 

Aaron looked at the pages Ian had handed him, one was a newspaper article about a woman named Joanna Winters who had killed herself several years ago. The other was a picture of Robert several years younger with his arms around 2 women, one a beautiful tall blond, the other a short almost mousy brunette with glasses.

 

Aaron looked up at Ian. “I don’t get it, what does this have to do with anything?”

 

Ian handed Aaron the page he had been looking at, it was a police record including a mug shot for a Jonathan Winters. He had been arrested for assault when he was 15. There were pictures of the kid he had beaten up, he had broken bones, a broken and bloody face and several boot marks on his chest. It was a miracle the kid hadn’t died. Jonathan had been a minor and he had been sentenced to a mental institution until he turned 18.

 

As Aaron finished reading the paper Ian spoke up. “Mac said that kid he beat up, he did it because the guy made fun of his 14 year old sister, called her names.  He’s been in out and of mental hospital’s all his life. He said this dude is straight up wacko, likes to hurt people, said….” Ian stopped talking.

 

Aaron looked at him. “What?”

 

“Said, he blames Robert for his sister killing herself. Figured he was probably all ready dead,” Ian hesitated “or wishing he was.”

 

Aaron gasped and looked down trying not to let Ian see the fear and pain he knew was written on his face.

 

“He _thinks_ Robert is dead or being, being… what? Tortured? But he doesn’t know for sure?” Aaron tried to remove all trace of emotion from his face and voice but didn’t think he succeeded.

 

Ian’s ever-present smile was almost sad now, pitying even. 

 

He nodded, “Mac said Jonathan gave him some kind of shot, they took some money and his car, tried to make it look like he ran off. When they got back to Leeds, Lenny helped Jonathan move Robert to a van, and they drove off. They haven’t seen or heard from him since and they don’t know where he went or what his plans were.”

 

Aaron clenched his fists, trying to keep from punching something, anything. “You believe him? That he doesn’t know where they are?” He ground out.

 

Ian nodded “Ya, he would of told me, if he knew. Said he would of given the car to us as a sign of their friendship but it was sold and shipped off immediately. He did offer the money he made off of it if you want me to press him for it?”

 

“No, I don’t care about it.” Aaron stood and gathered the pages. He held his hand out to Ian “Thanks for all this, I appreciate it.”

 

Ian stood and shook his hand then he came around the desk and stood in front of Aaron, he put his hands on Aaron’s arms and said quietly “This guy? He’s more then a friend, isn’t he?”

 

Aaron stared at him unsure of what to say. Finally he nodded and swallowed around the lump in his throat.

 

“Did you know about me the whole time? I never told anyone in prison that I’m gay.”

 

Ian shrugged, why do you think I took such a shin to you, other then the fact that you stopped that guy from sticking me? Maybe someday I’ll tell you about my kid brother. You remind me of him.” He stared at Aaron for a few seconds with a sad expression, then he stepped back and the full smile returned.

 

“So, I’ll check around a little bit see if anyone else knows anything about this guy. After that my debt to you is paid. Now, if I find him and you need help taking care of it. That’s gonna cost ya kid.” Ian chuckled.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron drove back to Emmerdale in a daze. He parked his car, and sat there thinking about everything Ian had told him. Mac thought Robert was dead. He couldn’t be dead, Aaron thought. If Robert was dead he would know. Aaron shook his head. He refused to even consider the possibility. Which meant that Robert was being held captive and probably being tortured.

 

Aaron rested his forehead on the steering wheel. He thought back to last week when him and Robert were at Home Farm, they had been watching some stupid movie on the TV. Sitting on the couch together had been kind of awkward at first, but eventually they had both ended up stretched out with their feet on the coffee table. Robert had slid over as close as he could get to Aaron and scooted down so his head could rest against Aaron’s arm. Aaron had stared down at that blonde hair against his arm and smiled.  Robert had gasped and turned his face against Aaron’s arm. Aaron looked back at the TV to see what Robert was reacting to. Some guy had just gotten his finger cut off and there was blood squirting out of the wound.

 

Aaron laughed and said “What? Did it scare you? Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

 

Robert had scoffed against his arm. “No, I’m not scared. Is it gone?”

 

Aaron laughed again “Ya”.

 

Robert looked back at the TV “It’s the blood, I hate the site of blood. You should see me with my own. I get a paper cut and I pass out.”

 

Aaron laughed again. “For me it’s dislocations, when I was a kid, I got into a fight and ended up pulling this guys finger out of it’s socket. It just hung there all limp, like the skin was the only thing holding it on, and the sound it made when it popped out…” Aaron shivered “disgusting.”

 

Robert looked up at him “You’re so cute when you’re grossed out.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes.

 

Robert reached up and grabbed a fistful of Aaron’s shirt, dragging him down until their lips collided. Aaron smiled into the kiss and wrapped his hand in Robert’s hair.

 

Needless to say they never saw the end of that movie.

 

 

Aaron snapped out of the memory as he felt hot tears slip down his cheeks. He wiped them away, took a deep breath and gathered the papers Ian had printed for him. He got out of the car and started walking determinedly towards Harriet’s house.

 

“Aaron! Aaron! Come on mate, wait up!”

 

Aaron didn’t turn around or slow his steps. He reached Harriet’s door, but before he could knock. Adam grabbed his arm.

 

Aaron turned, but before he could say anything Adam said “Seriously? You lied to me didn’t you? You all ready talked to the guy didn’t you? I can’t believe you would lie to me! I mean lying to Paddy is one thing, but to your best mate?”

 

Paddy hurried up to them just in time to hear Adam’s last sentence. “What? You lied to me? About what?”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes and turned towards the door.

 

This time Paddy grabbed his arm. “Hey, what’s going on?”

 

When Aaron didn’t immediately answer Adam said “He lied to both of us, he went and talked to that guy by himself!”

 

“Bloody hell, Aaron! You went alone?”

 

“Yes, I lied. I’m sorry, but I had to go alone. I don’t have time for this, guys.” Aaron turned and knocked loudly on the door.

 

Harriet immediately yelled, “Come in!” and Aaron opened the door and entered. He said over his shoulder “You guys coming?”

 

They hurried down the hall after Aaron. Harriet yelled “End of the hall, Aaron”

 

When they reached the door at the end of the hall Paddy said “How did you know it was us?”

 

Harriet looked up from her computer and said, “I could hear you fellas arguing all the way back here. Have a seat. I assume Aaron, since you brought the both of them, they are caught up and I’m free to talk in front of them?” Aaron nodded.

 

“Ok, well, I’m sorry, but I haven’t found a connection between Robert and any of Mac’s known crew. I did get the GPS data off the car from the rental company, but I don’t know if it will help or not.”

 

Aaron handed the papers Ian had gotten for him to Harriet.

 

Harriet looked at the papers with surprise. “Where did you get this?”

 

Aaron sighed. “From a friend, I won’t tell you his name so don’t ask. Nothing I found out can be repeated outside of this room.” He turned to include Paddy and Adam in the statement. “Not to the police or anyone. I’ll be in some serious shit if they find out. Ok?”

 

Adam and Harriet nodded, Paddy looked nervous but nodded his head.

 

Aaron cleared his throat, and started talking while Harriet was looking at Jonathan Winter’s police record.

 

“Robert was kidnapped, by a man named Jonathan Winters.” Paddy gasped and Harriet looked up from the page she was reading.

 

All 3 of them stared at Aaron, he started pacing while his words came faster, like if he didn’t hurry he wouldn’t be able to finish.

 

“Winters blames Robert for the suicide of his sister a few years ago.” He gestured to Harriet. “There’s a picture in there of Robert and two women, I assume one of them is Joanna Winters.”

 

Harriet found the picture and looked at it for a minute before she stood and pinned it to the corkboard on the wall. She sat back down at her desk. “Mac says that winters is psycho. He drugged Robert, took the car and the money to make it look like he ran off. He must of sent the text too. Lenny helped Winters load Robert into the back of a white van in a parking garage in Leeds. No one knows where they went after that.” Aaron let out a shaky breath and sat down on the couch beside Adam and put his head in his hands.

 

Paddy took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.

 

Harriet said in a careful voice as she looked back at the paper in her hand “So, if this guy is really this unstable. Robert is either allready dead or soon to be.”

 

Aaron choked back a sob. Adam glared at Harriet and put his hand on Aaron’s back.

 

Harriet stood. “I’m sorry to be so blunt, but that’s the truth of it. We need to call the police.”

 

Aaron raised his head “No! We can’t.”

 

Harriet shook her head “Aaron…”

 

“No,” Aaron said vehemently. “I promised, and without telling them where we got the info, they will never believe us. We have to find him ourselves.”

 

Harriet sighed and sat back down. “Fine, for now. The GPS data I got should at least tell us where the parking garage is, but when the van left… For all we know they might not even be in Leeds anymore. Or, like I said, Winters might have already kil….”

 

“No” Aaron interrupted her. He jumped up from the couch. “Don’t say it again! We will find him!” He growled at her.

 

Harriet held up her hand, “Ok. Calm down Aaron. We’ll do everything we can.”

 

Aaron sat back down “Mac said he was pretty sure that Winters would still be in Leeds. That he would hole up somewhere and take his time with Robert. My friend is looking into, but….”

 

Harriet turned to her computer. “Ok, I’ll see if I can get access to the CCTV in and around the parking garage. Might cost a little money, but I should be able to do it. It might take a few days though.”

 

Aaron paled “a few days? We don’t have days! It’s all ready been 5 days! Imagine what he could of done to Robert in 5 days!” Aaron’s voice broke as he yelled at Harriet.

 

Paddy went to him and wrapped his arms around him. At first Aaron tried to shrug him off, but Paddy held firm. Aaron gasped and gulped in air as he let Paddy hold him and tried to calm himself. After a minute he gathered himself and pulled away from Paddy.

 

He wiped the tears from his face and took a deep breath. “I’m ok.” He said quietly to Paddy.

 

He turned to Harriet, and pleaded with her “Please, I can’t just sit around and wait. I have to do something. We need to hurry. I’ll pay you whatever you want.  I know I don’t have it right now, but I swear I’ll get whatever you need. I know some people who will help me…..”

 

Harriet held up her hand to interrupt his desperate rant. “Aaron, don’t worry about the money. We’ll work it out, I’ll give you the friends and family discount and we’ll figure something out on expenses. Robert’s life is at stake, I’m not going to turn you away because of money.”

 

For a second Aaron looked like he was going to cry again. But he took another deep breath and nodded. “Ok, what can I do to help?”

 

She started to tell him there was nothing he could, but when she saw the desperation in his eyes she changed her mind. “Well, the first thing we need to do is go to the parking garage and find all of the privately owned CCTV cameras in the area that may have captured the van leaving. If we can get the plate number I may be able to get some copper friends to help look for it.”

 

“Ok, I can do that.” Aaron turned to the door. Paddy stepped in front of him “Aaron, just let me stop by the office and then I’ll go with you.”

 

Aaron shook his head “Paddy don’t worry about it, you need to work. I can go alone.”

 

Adam stood up, “I’ll go with you, mate.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes, “you need to go back to the scrapyard, we need the money.”

 

Paddy spoke up, “well, you can’t go alone.”

 

“Why not?” Aaron asked angrily.

 

“Aaron,” Paddy tried to calm him “You’re emotional, and you know how you can get. You won’t be any help if you get nicked.”

 

Aaron sighed.

 

“You could get Vic to go with you.” Adam suggested “She can keep you from doing anything stupid and she want’s to help look for her brother.”

 

“Fine, I’ll take Vic, if she’s ready to leave in 10 minutes.” Aaron said.

 

Adam got out his phone “I’ll ring her.” He said and stepped out of the room.

 

“Ok, Aaron, here’s the address of the parking garage. Just make a list of the locations, of every camera you see. Once you get the list, we can determine which are the most likely to let us view their footage. Just make a list, ok? Nothing else.” Harriet stared at Aaron.

 

Aaron nodded “I got it. We’ll be fine.”

 

Adam walked back in the room “Vic will meet you out front of the Woolie, in 5 minutes.”

 

“Great” Aaron said as he headed to meet her.


	6. Chapter 6

Vic and Aaron pulled into the parking garage.

 

“Ok, so there probably aren’t any cameras in the garage itself. He wouldn’t of picked it right?.” Vic asked Aaron.

 

“Unless he’s an idiot, we should check just to be sure.” Aaron replied.

 

They both got out of the car, and started to look around. A few minutes later Aaron called to Vic “I don’t see anything, lets go outside.”

 

They walked out to the street “There’s only one exit, and this is a one way street, so that should be good for us. I don’t see anything though. They are all just office buildings, they might have cameras inside, but probably not outside.” Vic said.

 

“Worst case we’ll have to check all of them, they could of caught the van through a window. What we need though is a convenience store or a pub or….”  Aaron continued down the street with Vic trailing behind him. He stopped walking so abruptly that Vic bumped into him.

 

“What?” She asked, peering around him.

 

Aaron pointed, “There, at the end of the block, that fountain, I think it’s a church. Come on.”

 

They hurried to the fountain and there up on the side of the building were 2 CCTV cameras pointed in the general direction of the fountain and the street behind it.

 

Vic smiled. “Great, that’s great! Come on let’s call Harriet and give her the name of the church. Then we can keep looking.” Vic dug around in her purse for her cell phone, when she looked up Aaron was nowhere to be seen. “Aaron!” She called out.

 

Aaron stuck his head out the door of the church, “Vic, hurry up!” He yelled at her.

 

Vic glared at him but hurried to the door “Aaron, get out here. What are you doing?”

 

“I’m looking for the office.”  He walked down the hallway.

 

Vic followed him mumbling to herself. “I knew you wouldn’t listen to Harriet or me for that matter. I told Adam, but no “Aaron won’t do anything stupid.” he said. Ya right.”

 

“Vic, stop worrying. It’s a church, I’m just going to ask if we can look at the footage. I’m not going to kick off with a priest or anything.” Aaron told her.

 

At the other end of the hall they found a set of glass doors marked office. They went in, but didn’t see anyone, so Aaron called out “Hello, is anyone here?”

 

An older woman with curly grey hair made her way out of a room in the back. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you enter. I’ll be right there.” She used her cane to slowly make her way to them.

 

“What are you going to do?” Vic whispered. “I don’t think they are allowed to just show the footage to whoever walks in off the street.”

 

“Well, I was going to try flirting or bribery, but somehow I don’t think either of those will work with her.” Aaron hissed.

 

Vic sighed, “Let me handle it you Muppet! Just stand there and try not to look to threatening.”

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron knocked on Harriet’s door but opened it without waiting for a response.

 

“Oi!” Vic shouted at him. “You’re supposed to wait for someone to answer.” She scoffed as she followed him to the back office.

 

“Sorry, Harriet, this muppet here has no manners.” Vic apologized to Harriet.

 

Harriet smiled at her “It’s all right Vic. I’m used to it by now. I do have some new information. If you have the list of CCTV’s I can get started on that too.”

 

Vic and Aaron looked at each other and grinned. Aaron handed Harriet 3 pictures. The first was an overall picture of the van. The second was a close up on the driver, and the third was a close up of the number plate.

 

“For a church they had a surprisingly sophisticated security system” Vic said.

 

“I probably don’t want to know how you guys got this, do I? Ya, I’ll see what I can do with it. Ok, well I found out some back ground on the suicide, I’m not sure that any of it will be useful to us, but…” She shrugged and continued speaking “So, Joanna Winters lived in London 3 years ago with a flatmate” Harriet stopped to look at some notes on her desk “Zoe Walker. Robert and Zoe started seeing each other. According to the officer who responded to the call, a few months in Zoe came home from a date with Robert and found Joanna. She had slit her wrists in the bathtub. The note she left behind said, “I’m sorry Zoe. I’m a horrible friend. Tell Robert I love him.” Now, as best as the copper could find out talking to everyone involved, Joanna became obsessed with Robert. Now, Zoe said Robert didn’t do anything, he was just nice to her. Some of Zoe’s other friends said that Robert flirted with her and led her on. A few thought he might of slept with her, but no one knew for sure.” Harriet paused and looked at Aaron.

 

Aaron sighed, “I know better then anyone what kind of man Robert is. Just tell me the rest.”

 

Harriet nodded and continued. “The officer told me he personally thought that Robert had manipulated Joanna, that he led her on to stroke his ego, and that when she became obsessed he cruelly broke her heart and left her devastated. But in the end she was unstable and killed herself. Her brother Jonathan ranted and raved that it was Robert’s fault, that he had killed her. He started following Robert around, threatening him, telling anyone that would listen that Robert was a murderer. Eventually they arrested Jonathan, but it was determined he was off his meds, so he was sent back to the mental hospital and Robert moved on.”

 

Aaron took a deep breath and turned to look at the pictures and notes Harriet had hanging on the corkboard. “What do we do now?” he asked.

 

“Well, I’m going to see what I can find out about this van, get it to some friends in Leeds, a few officers, a few cabbies, anyone that can keep an eye out for it.”

 

Aaron turned around to look at her “So, in other words we just wait? God knows what is happening to Robert and you just want me to sit around and wait?” he shouted angrily.

 

Vic put her hand on Aaron’s arm trying to calm him. “No! There’s gotta be something I can do. I’ll go back into Leeds and look for the van myself!” Aaron said.

 

“Aaron,” Vic responded, “You can’t just drive around the city looking for a van, that’s crazy.”

 

Harriet nodded her head “She’s right Aaron, but there is something you can do. This friend of yours that gave you the info on Winters. He must be pretty big in Leeds, have a lot of people working under him?”

 

Aaron started to speak when Harriet held up her hand and smiled. “I know, I know you can’t say anything about him. Here’s the thing, he must have a lot of connections, and contacts. Can you get him to get the word out on the van, keep an eye out?”

 

Aaron nodded, “Probably, he told me he would see if he could find out anything else, but I can give him the plate number and see.”

 

“Good, just be careful asking him for to much, eventually he’s going to want something in return.”

 

Harriet was right. Ian told Aaron he would be happy to put out the word, but that Aaron would owe him one. Aaron immediately agreed, even though a favor owed to a man such as Ian could definitely cause problems. Aaron didn’t care, he was willing to do whatever it took to bring Robert home.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Chas poured a pint for Cain as she watched Aaron with concern.

 

“Oi, What’s wrong with you?” Cain griped at her as the glass ran over.

 

Chas glared at him, “Nothing.” She said as she wiped the glass off and handed it to Cain. He accepted it and took a drink. He followed Chas’s line of sight to Aaron and sighed “What’s he done now?” He asked her.

 

She looked at him “What, who?”

 

Cain rolled his eyes and gestured to Aaron “He’s been sitting there for hours looking like he’s torn between beating on someone and crying in a corner.”

 

Chas frowned at him. It wasn’t only a few hours. Aaron had been sitting around with that look on his face since he had come home yesterday. Chas hadn’t been able to get anything out of Aaron so she had called Paddy to find out the latest info. “Don’t worry about it, he’s just going through some stuff.” She said to Cain.

 

Cain looked unconvinced but took his drink and went to sit with Moira.

 

Chas made some coffee and took a mug to the booth Aaron was sitting in. She slid in across from him and pushed the mug towards him. “Alright, Luv?”

 

Aaron continued to stare at the table without responding.

 

“Aaron? Luv?” Chas tried to get his attention. Still nothing. She knocked on the table loudly and Aaron jumped. He raised his head and met her eyes with his own, glassy red-rimmed ones.

 

“Oh, Aaron, how are you doing? Talk to me, please.” Chas begged.

                                                                                               

He shook his head, but didn’t say anything.

 

“I know you are worried about Robert, but you have to move on. You’ve done everything you can. Do you really think if you were the one missing that he would spend all this time and effort looking for you?”

 

Aaron just looked at her and said, “I don’t know Mum, it depends on which Robert you’re talking about. The one that worries about me and searches for me when I go on a long run, or the one that everyone else sees.”

 

Chas started to respond.

 

“Chas?” Diane called from behind the bar. “Could you help me for a moment?”

 

Chas stood and placed the mug in Aaron’s hand, she gripped his chin and turned his face up to her. “Aaron, I’ll be right back, we are not done. Drink this coffee.”  When Chas finished helping Diane she turned back to Aaron’s booth, but the booth and the coffee were gone. She sighed and pulled out her cell to call Paddy, and ask him to go look for Aaron.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron snuck into the house hoping his mum had given up and gone to bed. It was late or rather, early. Yesterday when he had left the pub he had walked around the village, drinking the coffee his mum had left him. When he felt sufficiently sober to drive, he had gone into Leeds, searching for Robert. He had driven the streets, looking for the van, for Winters, for Robert, anything. He had stopped people on the street, showing anyone that would look the pictures. One was of the van, one of Winters face and one of Robert he had taken during their week alone at Home Farm.

 

They had been lounging on the couch watching football. Robert was slouched against one arm with Aaron at the opposite end. Aaron had been trying to watch the match, but found himself staring at Robert instead. Without really thinking about it he had taken out his cell and snapped a picture of Robert. Robert had glanced at Aaron and for a moment Aaron was afraid he was going to tell him to delete it, but he hadn’t said anything. He’d just grinned that cocky grin of his, and stretched out on the couch laying his head in Aaron’s lap. Aaron had barely hesitated before running his fingers through Robert’s golden hair.

 

Aaron’s head knew it was a stupid plan, drive around Leeds hoping to stumble into Robert, but his heart wouldn’t let him quit. He needed to do something, needed to be looking for Robert. He couldn’t just sit around waiting. He finally went home after getting a text from his mum threatening to call the police if he didn’t show up soon.

 

Chas hadn’t given up and apparently she had called in reinforcements. Her and Paddy were sitting on the couch when he entered.

 

“Where in the bloody hell have you been?” Chas yelled as she jumped up from the couch and ran to hug him.

 

He sidestepped her and sat down at the table. “What are you on about? I texted I was fine.”

 

Chas opened her mouth to yell at him some more, but Paddy stepped in. “Aaron, we were just worried. You weren’t in a very good state when you left. Where have you been?”

 

Aaron sighed and looked down. He took a deep breath and stood to face them. “I’m sorry I worried you, but I’m fine. I was looking for Robert, and I’m not going to stop until I find him, so you need to just accept that. I’ll stay in better touch, but I’m going back out in the morning, so I need to get some sleep.” He walked around them and headed upstairs.

 

Chas and Paddy exchanged worried glances, but they knew better then to try and force Aaron to stop doing something.

 

Every day Aaron would wake up drive into Leeds and look for Robert. He didn’t go into the scrapyard when he was supposed to. He did enough hours at the garage to be able to afford gas for the car, but that was all. He found out later that Chas and Paddy had been chipping in at the scrapyard, helping Adam keep the place afloat. At the time he had only been concerned with finding Robert. He would search until he could barely see straight, then he would drive home, sleep for a couple of hours and head back out.

 

One morning he drug himself out of bed and went downstairs. Chas and Paddy were sitting at the kitchen table. “I would just go, but I need coffee first.” He said to them as he poured himself a cup of coffee. His hand was shaking so badly that he spilled it all over the counter.

 

Paddy looked at him. “Aaron, you need to stay home today. At least for a few hours, you haven’t slept more then 3 hours a night in over a week. You’re shaking, you can barely stand.”

 

Aaron’s head snapped to the calendar. April 20th. Robert had been missing for exactly 2 weeks. He stared at the date unable to believe it had been that long, and yet it felt like a lifetime. He sank onto a chair beside Paddy with his head in his hands. “

 

It’s been 2 weeks?” He whispered.

 

Paddy and Chas looked at each other and then back at Aaron.

 

“Aaron?” Chas said.  Aaron slowly looked up at her, tears streaming down his cheeks.

 

“It’s been 2 weeks, Mum, I don’t know what else to do. I won’t give up on him, I won’t.”

 

“Oh, sweetheart, I know. You are doing everything you can.” She leaned toward Aaron and put her hands over his. “You believe in him, you believe that he’s alive, you haven’t given up. But, you have to sleep, I know Robert worried about you. Is this what he would want? You running yourself into the ground? Taking care of yourself, is not giving up, Luv. Come on.” She stood and pulled him up with her, she led him upstairs and put him to bed.

 

 

                                                                        __________

 

 

Aaron pushed open the door to the barn. He had woken feeling a little better, at least the shaking had stopped. His mum had refused to give him the keys to his car though. He had been so angry he had just started walking and ended up at the barn.  He hadn’t been back here since Katie. He sat down on a hay bale. The same ones him and Robert had laid on all those weeks ago. He closed his eyes and thought about that day, the smile on Robert’s face when they had bickered, the tightness around his heart when Robert had said they only had the hear and now. The grin Robert had given him when Aaron had told him Chrissie wasn’t his wife yet. The desire in his eyes when Robert had leaned in to kiss him. Aaron squeezed his eyes shut trying to stop the tears and the memories, before they could overwhelm him.

 

Aaron’s phone rang, he glanced at it, sure it was his mother and ready to ignore her, but when he saw it was Ian, he answered.

 

“Hello?” He said, trying to hide the tears in his voice.

 

“Aaron?” the voice on the other end of the line boomed. “We found him.”

 

Aaron jumped up off the floor of the barn his exhaustion immediately forgotten. “What?” he practically yelled into the phone.

 

“Well, I don’t have a direct confirmation, but through a friend of a friend of a pizza delivery guy. I have an address, now I can send someone over there to check on it, but if he spots them there’s no telling what he will do.”

 

“No, No” Aaron exclaimed. “Just give me the address, I’ll take care of it. Thank you, Ian, cheers.” His voice broke as he tried to stay calm.   


“No worries, mate. I’ll text you the address. If you need any help, you know where to find me.” Ian said before he hung up.

 

Aaron also knew what that help would cost him. He stared as his phone waiting for the text that would lead him to Robert. As soon as he received it he took off running towards the village. It was time to save Robert.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Chrissie drove down the road into the village, she was dreading seeing people but it had been two weeks since Robert had left and she refused to hide in embarrassment anymore. He was the one who had left, she needed to move on with her life. She slammed on her breaks as someone ran out in front of her car. She gasped as the man disappeared from view. She jumped out and ran to the front of her car.

 

“Oh my God! Are you ok.” She knelt down as she recognized Aaron.

 

Aaron looked at her, “Umm, I’m fine, just grazed me, it was my fault, I’m in a hurry, wasn’t paying attention.” He snapped his mouth shut, to stop the rambling.

 

She grabbed his arm as he struggled to get up. “Are you sure you’re ok? Should I call an ambulance?” She questioned.

 

“There’s no need, I’m fine. I gotta go.” He started to walk away, but she grabbed his arm

 

“You said you’re in a hurry, I’m going to the Woolpack, let me give you a ride. It’s the least I can do.”

 

Aaron hesitated, but she was right, it would be faster to ride, especially with aches he now had from being hit with her car.

 

“Ta.” He said as they both went to get in the car.

 

As Chrissie started the car, she glanced at Aaron. “Everything, ok? You seem upset.”

 

Aaron laughed bitterly. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

 

Chrissie looked at him, surprised by his tone of voice, but she said. “Me, upset? Why would you say that? My bastard husband just stole a bunch of money and a very expensive car and ran off with barely a word. Why would I be upset?”

 

Aaron clinched his fist and tried to stay calm. He felt like yelling at her, telling her what a cow she was for believing Robert would leave. A part of him wanted to tell her everything, about him and Robert, about Robert being kidnapped, everything, but he didn’t speak and Chrissie kept on.

 

“People warned me, my dad, people that knew him before, even his own family, but I didn’t listen. There were plenty of signs….” Aaron tuned out Chrissie’s voice railing on the man he loved and focused on what he should do next.

 

As they drove into the village Aaron interrupted Chrissie’s rant. “You can just drop me off here.”

 

“Oh, ok.” She frowned as she pulled over to let him out of the car.

 

“Ta.” He mumbled as he jumped out of the car and hurried away before he said something he would regret.

 

He knocked on Harriet’s door and hurried inside. “Harriet!” He called out as he entered.

 

He stopped in the doorway as he saw Ashley coming down the stairs. “I was on my way.” Ashley exclaimed at him.

 

“Sorry, it’s an emergency!” He said to Ashley as Harriet called out from the office. “Come on back, Aaron.”

 

“Sorry” he said again to Ashley as he hurried by. “I got it, I got a location. “ He

started talking before he even reached the office.

 

Harriet jumped up from the desk. “Really?” She exclaimed.

 

Aaron nodded. “Come on, we gotta go.” He gestured to the door.

 

“Wait!” Harriet said, “We should really call the cops, he’s probably armed, we don’t know if he’s alone…”

 

“No,” Aaron interrupted. “We’ve been through this. We can’t call the police. They won’t believe us anyway.”

 

“I’m going to get him as soon as I get some help. Now, you can come with us or you can stay here. It’s up to you.” Aaron turned and walked out.

 

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron jogged toward the garage. “What are you doing here? Your mum said you were sick. After you didn’t show up for two days.” Debbie asked angrily.

 

Aaron coughed “I am sick, can’t you tell. Where’s Cain?” Debbie scoffed at him.

 

“It’s important! Is he here?” Aaron yelled at her.

 

Cain walked out of the office. “I’m right here, what are you on about?”

 

Aaron jerked his head and said “I need to talk to you.”

 

Cain just looked at Debbie and followed after Aaron.

 

 

                                                            __________

 

 

“Ok, let me get this straight! You want me to get some guys together, and help you rescue Robert Sugden, from a crazy man who kidnapped him? Why? Why is it your problem?”

 

Aaron and Cain were sitting at the picnic table in front of the Woolpack.

 

Before Aaron could say anything Chas and Paddy walked up. “Where have you been? We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

 

Cain looked at Aaron “You going to tell them or am I?”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes and said, “I have an address, and I’m going to get him. I was asking Cain for his help, but I’m going with or without it.”

 

Cain looked at Chas then back at Aaron. “I don’t understand why anyone of us should risk our lives for that man, but I can see you’re doing this and if I don’t help you, you’ll probably end up with these two as back up. I’ll get a couple of guys and meet you here in an hour. Go get some coffee or something, you look like shit.”

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron, Paddy and Chas went outside an hour later to find Cain, Ross, and Adam waiting for them. Aaron stopped short, “Seriously Cain? You brought Ross?” he turned to Adam “and what are you doing here?”

 

Adam rolled his eyes, “Not you too. Cain all ready read me one, and it didn’t work, I’m going! I know you’re just trying to keep me out of trouble, but I’m going!”

 

Aaron stared at him, nodded and turned back to Cain. “What about him? This is the best you could find?” he glared at Ross.

 

“Hey, mate, you don’t want my help, that’s fine, I don’t know why we care about saving this prick anyway.” He turned to walk off.

 

“Wait.” Aaron and Cain said at the same time. Ross stopped walking and turned back to them.

 

“There’s not many people in the village that will be helpful in this situation, and I can’t get anybody else on such short notice. Now, you want to wait come up with a real plan. We can do that.”

 

Aaron was shaking his head before Cain stopped talking. “No, we’re going now.”

 

“All right then, Ross, is going to do everything he can to help us get Robert and all of us out of there safely.” Cain glared at Ross.

 

“Yup, for the previously agreed upon terms, I’m in.” Ross grinned at all of them.

 

Aaron looked at Cain “What terms?”

 

Cain shook his head “Don’t worry about it.”

 

Harriet walked up to the group. “Well, look at this little band of rebels, off on a rescue mission are you?” When no one responded, she said “Right, let’s go then, I brought a van, I’ll drive.”

 

Cain looked at the van, “Where’d you get that thing?” He asked her. “Somewhere it won’t lead back to anyone of us. Better safe then sorry.”

 

Cain nodded, grabbed the black duffel bag off the picnic table and followed after her. “Let’s go boys.” He called over his shoulder.

 

Ross and Adam followed after him. “Cain” Chas called out. He stopped and looked back at her, “I know Chas, this is a stupid idea, come back safe, and watch out for these idiots. We’ll be fine.”

 

Chas tried to smile at him “What do you need me for? It seems like you can give the speech to yourself these days.”

 

She turned to Aaron and threw her arms around him. “Son, please, please be careful. I know I can’t talk you out of this so I won’t try, but please be careful.” She pulled back to look at his face. “I can’t lose you.” Her voice broke.

 

“We’ll be back before you know it, mum.” He kissed her on the check and handed her off to Paddy.

 

Chas and Paddy watched them all load into the van and didn’t move until it was gone from view.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is Hopeless by Breaking Benjamin.

Conciseness enveloped Robert like a fog, he drifted in and out of it, until something hit him hard in the stomach and he jerked, fully awake gasping for breath. He tried to see where he was but it’s pitch black. After a moment he realized that he’s blindfolded. He was lying on his side on a hard cold floor, his arms were bound behind his back, he tried to sit up but didn’t have the strength. His pulse raced as he tried to move his legs, unable to, he opened his mouth to call for help, but it came out muffled through the gag he can now feel. He froze as he heard someone moving around near him. He thought back trying to remember what happened.

 

He remembered… Aaron, he was looking for Aaron. He ran into Edna, and then… he struggled to remember what happened next. There was a car, someone pulled up in a car. He gasped into the gag as he remembered, Jonathan Winters, he had found him, he’d had a gun, forced Robert into his car. He’d said Robert owed him for the death of his sister. Robert told him he had money back at Home Farm, he could have it, and whatever else he wanted. When they’d gotten there Robert had gotten all of the cash out of the safe, and was showing them the keys to the cars when someone had stabbed him in the arm with a needle. The last thing he remembered was Winters leaning over him saying, “the debt you owe me can’t be paid with money, only with pain and blood.”

 

Robert felt himself panicking, he knew what kind of man Jonathan Winters was, the things he’s capable of. Zoe had been afraid of him, even Joanna had seemed afraid of him. He tried to slow his breathing, calm himself down. Someone will come for him, he told himself. Chrissie will throw a fit when she can’t find him, she’ll call in the police, private security, force Lawrence to spend whatever is required to save him. I just have to hold out until they come for me, it won’t be long. But unless he has been unconscious a lot longer then he thinks, Chrissie won’t be home until tomorrow. Aaron! Aaron will get the messages that Robert had been sending him all day. Aaron will look for him and when he can’t find him, he’ll do something. Unless Aaron’s to angry with him to even care or if he’s hurt himself with the running. No, No, he has to stay positive. Aaron’s fine, and someone will come for him. Until then, he’ll just have to pay attention and keep his wits about him. Maybe he can figure his own way out of here.

 

His blindfold was suddenly gone from his eyes, he blinked trying to focus. A shadow leaned over him. “Look, who’s awake.” Someone laughed, Robert thought it Winters but his eyes won’t focus enough for him to be sure. “I’ve got some things to finish getting ready, so you’re going to take another little nap.” The man said to him as Robert felt himself being stuck with another needle. “Nighty, nighty.” The voice whispered as Robert slipped back into the fog.

 

He was ripped from the blackness by the shock of freezing cold water hitting his face. He sputtered, trying to figure out what was happening. As the shock of the water and the remnant of the drug induced sleep passed he realized that he was sitting this time. He tried to wipe the water off of his face, but his arms are bound to the chair with zip ties. He thought about it and could fell them biting into his legs as well. At least the blindfold had been removed, all though he was still gagged. He looked around the room, it looked like some kind of an abandoned factory. It was dirty, cold, dark and smelled faintly of mold.

 

He spotted Jonathan Winters and a woman standing by the door to the room watching him. The woman smiled at Robert, whispered something to Winters and he stepped forward.

 

“How you doing, Robert? I’m glad you’re finally awake. I’ve been waiting so long for this. So, let me fill you in on what’s going to happen. I know you remember me” he gestured toward the woman, “this is my girl Meg.” He smiled at her, “I never could of pulled all of this off without her.  She’s the one who thought to pack you a suitcase and take the car and the money so that your wife will think you’ve ran off on her.”

 

Robert scoffed and tried to speak around the gag. Winters held up a hand, “She also sent Chrissie a text saying that you are leaving her.” He laughed, “and if the responses she has sent are anything to judge by, she totally believes it! A few people have called you, your sister Vic, step-mom Diane, and your bit on the side Aaron. Now I was shocked when we found that out, Meg wasn’t though, says you seem like the type. We were going to send him a message too, but we noticed how often you fight, so it didn’t seem necessary. Anyway, my point in telling you all this is to say, No one is looking for you! They all believe you’ve ran off, no has called the police or anything. In fact it seems like most people don’t even care that you’re gone.”

 

Robert welcomed the anger that filled him at Winter’s words, the anger felt so much better then the fear. He jerked his arms trying to free them and yelled at Winter’s to go to hell, but due to the gag it came out garbled.

 

Winters smiled and stepped close enough to Robert that their knees are touching. He put his hands on Robert’s arms and squeezed until Robert winced. Winters leaned over him putting his face in Robert’s “I’m going to take my time with you, when I’m done, your pain will be 10 times worse then what you caused my sister. And when you are broken, when the defiance and hope is gone from your eyes, I’m going to slit open your veins and watch you bleed to death, scared and alone just like Joanna.”

 

Robert jerked his head catching Winter’s by surprise. Robert’s forehead slammed into Winter’s nose, blood spurted from it and he yelped.

 

He staggered back from Robert. “You, son of a bitch!” he advanced on him again, but Meg grabbed his arm and pressed a cloth to his nose.   


“Calm down. Let’s get that bleeding stopped and then we’ll explain why that was a bad idea.”

 

A few minutes later Winter’s sat at the table. Meg grabbed a stack of papers from the table and sat down in the chair across from Robert.

 

“You are never going to do that again. You are going to cooperate with everything we say, that will be the last of your defiance.”

 

Robert tried to smirk at her, but he wasn’t not sure if it came across through the gag.

 

“Here’s the thing Robert.” She held up the stack of pictures and started flipping through them. “There are several people back in Emmerdale that would be so easy to get to.” She held up a picture of Chrissie and Lachlan, then one of Vic getting into a car. She stared into his eyes as she showed him picture after picture of everyone in his life. The last picture was of Aaron leaving the scrapyard with Adam, a smile on his face. Robert flinched, but tried to control it and hoped Meg hasn’t noticed.

 

“Oh, this one? It’s one of my favorites too. Now, if we could get close enough to take this picture without anyone the wiser, just think how easy it would be for Jon to shoot lover boy in the head. You are going to be a good little captive, or that’s exactly what will happen. Do you understand?”

 

Robert stared at her with hatred in his eyes.

 

“I asked you a question, I would appreciate a response.” Meg said sweetly.

 

Robert nodded his head, and looked at the ground.

 

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Meg shut the door behind her as she followed Jon out of Robert’s room. She smiled to herself, “Robert’s room” it sounded so normal, but what was going to happen to him in there was anything but normal. She turned to click the padlock into place, Robert was bound and drugged (she had Jon use chloroform when she just wanted Robert incapacitated for a short time) she had thrown a blanket on the floor and one over Robert, wouldn’t want him to freeze to death before they finished.  “You going to get take away, baby?” She asked Jon. “Yup, I’ll be back soon.” Jon kissed her on the cheek and left.

 

Meg sighed, it was good to be rid of him for awhile. She pulled out her laptop and started to make notes on everything that had happened today. Meg fancied herself  as something of a scientist, her area of study, the psychology of torture. She had been obsessed with torture as long as she could remember. The victim, the torturer, the methods both physical and mental, she wanted to know and understand everything about it. When she had learned everything she could from books and the internet, she had devised a plan to get some hands on experience. She had soon realized that she needed a victim and a torturer, so that she could observe. She needed someone who loved violence, was at least a little but crazy and that she could manipulate and control.  She had begun searching public records for the right type of person, after an extensive search she had found her way to Jonathan Winters. After convincing Jon that she loved him and getting his life story out of him she had determined that Robert was the perfect target, and the rest as they say is history.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Robert groaned as the hard thumping music blared in his ears. He had no idea what song it was or who it was by but it had to be the most depressing song he’d ever heard. And the screaming growl that chimed in every once in a while was doing him in. After the song had played for the 8th time he’d stopped counting. He jerked his head trying to knock off the headphones they had put on him, but they didn’t move. He tried to think about anything other then the pounding screams in his head. The worst part was never knowing when it would start or stop. They would play it once, and then there would be silence for a while, maybe 10 minutes, maybe an hour it was hard to keep track. Then it would start up again, and play over and over for what felt like hours. He had no idea how long he had been strapped to the chair this time. Because of the blindfold he couldn’t tell if it was day or night. The song continued to pound into his head. He tried to think about happier things, about Aaron. He pictured Aaron’s face, tried to focus on it, but he was so tired. His head throbbed and he was so cold his teeth were chattering. He could feel the tears soaking into his blindfold. Finally the music stopped and almost immediately Robert slipped into much needed sleep, his chin on his chest.

 

_I can’t wake up_

_I can not hold on_

_I will not let go_                                   

 

                                                            __________

 

 

What felt like seconds later to Robert the headphones and blindfold were removed. Robert blinked his eyes and shook his head trying to clear the cobwebs. Winters spoke “I’m going to take off your gag, and give you some water, we can’t have you passing out, but if you scream it goes right back on. There’s no one around here anyway, but better safe then sorry. So, no screaming, we wouldn’t want anything to happen to your little boyfriend would we?” Robert had heard some of what Winters said, enough to know if he was quiet they would take the gag out and give him water.

 

Robert nodded his head.

 

Winters removed the gag and held a water bottle with a straw to Robert’s mouth. Robert gulped in the water, his mouth was so dry it felt like forever since he’d had water. Robert was left with a bitter taste in his mouth and wondered if there had been something in the bottle. Almost instantly his eyes began to drift shut. Winters slapped him across the face Robert jerked with the force of it. His eyes snapped open and began to water. Winters smiled down at him.  “Keep your eyes open, Robert we are not done yet.”

 

Robert fought to keep his eyes open. Winters disappeared from his view and he heard the woman say something, but couldn’t focus on what. 

 

Winters reappeared, leaned over Robert and said “My sister Joanna, was a happy, good person until she met you. You broke her, you are the reason she did what she did. I’m going to make you feel what she felt. I think we’ll start small and build up.”

 

He grinned and held up a razor blade in front of Robert’s eyes. It took Robert a few seconds to focus on it but when he did his eyes widened. Robert’s first thought when he recognized the razor was Aaron, Aaron used to do that to himself, he had the scars to prove it. Just the thought of Aaron, of someone real brought a moment of comfort to his mind. He tried to hold on to that feeling, but his mind was so clouded he could barely call forward Aaron’s face. He wondered again what had been in that water. He felt pressure on his arm and looked down, there was a thin line of blood running across his wrist. He stared at it as the blood seeped out. His stomach lurched, as his head began to spin. He thought back to his conversation with Aaron about how much he hated the site of blood. Robert smiled as he remembered the sound of Aaron’s laughter, his words, “I’ll protect you”, the feeling of Aaron’s hand wrapped in his hair.

 

Winter’s slapped him again. “What are you grinning about? That not hurt enough for you? Maybe we should kick it up a notch.” Robert stared as a small plastic cup was held over his arm. His eyes squinted in confusion. As he watched, Winters emptied the cup over the cut he had made and Robert screamed. He tried to jerk his arm away but it was held firm by the zip ties. Before the scream had completely died from his throat the gag was back in place, cutting off the sound. Winters laughed. He turned to the woman who was standing back watching with a pleased look on her face.

 

“You are brilliant, Meg. Lemon juice in the cut? How did you ever come up with that?”

 

Robert squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shut it all out, the pain, the fear, the sound of Winters laugh. His eyes snapped open as a hand once again connected with his face.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Winters spent another hour or so making cuts on Robert’s arms and pouring lemon juice over them.  Eventually, Meg tired of it and told him it was time to move on. Winters replaced the blindfold and headphones and turned on the music. Meg got out the first aid kit and cleaned Robert’s cuts, she didn’t want him to get an infection and shorten their time together. She removed the gag, lifted the headphones and said “Drink.”, as she held the straw to Robert’s lips. He gulped in as much of the drugged water as she would allow. She replaced the gag and headphones and they removed the ties and laid him back on the blanket. She waited a few minutes and turned the music off, they would randomly turn it off and on through out the night. On the way out Winter’s kicked Robert a few times, laughing as he left.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

“Robert, Robert wake up.” Robert tried to open his eyes, but they were so tired he couldn’t. He felt the brush of a warm hand against his cheek. “Robert, It’s going to be ok, I’m going to get you out of here.” Aaron! It was Aaron. Robert’s heart leapt, Aaron had come for him. He felt the gag leaving his mouth and tried to speak, but it came out as a strangled croak, “Aaron?”.

 

The music blared to life in his headphones. Robert whimpered, “Aaron? Are you there?” He couldn’t hear himself speak over the music but one earphone was lifted from his ear. “Sorry mate, just me.” Winters whispered. Robert’s head fell back against the hard ground and tears ran down his cheeks.

 

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Over the next 2 weeks Robert endured countless tortures. The methods varied, sometimes it was the cuts on his arms, or back, with lemon juice poured into them. Sometimes they would lay him down on the ground, bind him so he couldn’t move and let scalding water drip onto his forehead for hours. Or bring in a tub of freezing water and dunk his head in it over and over even when he was laying on his blanket they would randomly throw ice water on him and leave him to shiver in the cold. One day they bound him to the chair but with his feet on a stool in front of him, they removed his socks and shoes and used a cigarette and a lighter to burn the bottoms of his feet for hours, they did this as he sat in the chair gagged, blindfolded and listening to the song play over and over and over. Sometimes Winters would just hit him, or randomly kick him in the stomach. But the waterboarding was one of the worst things, the feeling of the wet cloth sucked in tight against his mouth and nose. The more he struggled for breath the worse it got, and then he would black out only to be slapped awake to go through it again.

 

Most of the things they did took more of a mental toll him then a physical one, he felt like he started to become immune to the physical pains. But not Winters, he enjoyed every second of it. The times when the blindfold was off, Robert would see the joy on his face, When the music would stop he could hear Winters excitedly asking what he should do next. It quickly became clear to Robert that Meg was the brains and Winters the muscle.

 

Any hope Robert had of being rescued diminished day by day. They would use voicemails from Aaron to make him think he was there. After the first time, he knew it wasn’t Aaron, but the hope still leapt into his chest at the first sound of his voice. They threaten his family and friends a lot, especially Aaron. He tried not to show them that the thought of Aaron hurt because of him was the hardest to bear. Winter’s would tell Robert the things he could do to him if Robert didn’t do what he was told. The lack of sleep and/or the effect of the drugs left him confused, his thoughts were muddled and he couldn’t focus for very long. He would remind himself that Aaron was ok, that they were just threats and Aaron could take care of himself. He hadn’t even tried to fight back since that first day they showed him the pictures.

 

They feed him once a day, usually bread, rice or oatmeal. And force him to drink water, he could taste when it was drugged, sometimes when it was just a slight bitter taste he liked it, it lessened the pain and quieted the hopelessness. Other times there was a strong bitter taste and he would slip into unconsciousness only to awaken to a heavy fog, sometimes within that fog Aaron would appear, grab his hand and lead him into the light. Sometimes Robert can see his smile, the way he always rolled his eyes: feel his touch, his kiss. Those are the moments he lived for these days. And then the song in his head would start again. Those are the hardest moments, when he was yanked out of the hallucination either by ice water in his face or the song blasting. He knew every word of the song and they careened around in his mind all the time, even when he was allowed silence, he copuldn’t escape them.

 

One day when he was tied to the chair, with Winter’s cutting on his body he had turned the music off, and began talking about what a horrible person Robert was. How de deserved everything he was getting. He talked about Joanna and how Robert destroyed her. Robert tried to tune him out, tried to focus on memories. Memories of him and Aaron, at first he just played the good ones over and over in his head whenever the song was off and the drugs allowed him to think. Eventually he started to replay the bad memories too, changing them in his mind, erasing the harsh things he said or did to Aaron. Saying things he’d only thought, but never had the courage to speak aloud.

 

Today, he’s thinking about the day of his wedding to Chrissie when Aaron told him that he loved him. In the new version, Robert said it back, and when Katie showed up, he told her that he was going to tell Chrissie the truth, they all go to the church and Robert called off the wedding. He said, “I love you, Aaron.” He must have say it out loud, even though he didn’t mean to. Because the next thing he knew Winters was punching him in the face yelling, “Joanna loved you and killed her, you are incapable of love! You deserve to die!” He picked up the razor blade and made a long cut down the inside of Robert’s wrist. They both stared at the cut and blood gushed out of the wound, there’s so much it dripped onto the floor. Robert felt himself becoming even more light headed as he watched his life slip away.

 

Meg came in to the room but neither man noticed. “Jon? You idiot! What have you done? We’re not ready for him to die yet! Get out of the way!” She pushed Jon out of the way and wrapped a cloth around Robert’s arm trying to stop the flow of blood. Robert’s eyes began to close as he thought “Winter’s is right. I do deserve this, I deserve to die for what I did to Aaron, Katie, Chrissie, even Joanna.” Robert’s eyes closed as his head fell limply to his chest.

_Here I lie forever_

_Sorrow still remains_

_Will the water pull me down and wash it all away_

_Come and take me over_

_Welcome to the game_

_Will the current drag me down and carry me away_

_Suddenly the light begins to fade._

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Robert opened his eyes to the blackness. He must have been unconscious again because the heaviness pressed against his mind. He settled into it, letting himself drift, he’d learned that if he tried to force the hallucination it would only make it _him_ more elusive.  He hovered in a place between asleep and awake, waiting.

The blindfold fell from his eyes and his heart flooded with relief, finally it was starting. Robert stared up at Aaron as he removed the headphones. He felt himself drifting away and tried to stay in the hallucination. “Robert, Robert stay with me!” Robert sighed trying to burn the look on Aaron’s face into his memory, for later. He smiled as he felt Aaron’s tears land on his cheek, his eyes closed and Aaron was gone again.

 

_Silent I go under_

_I am not afraid_

_I can see the daylight shine_

_And slowly drift away_


	8. Chapter 8

Harriet turned the van onto the street Aaron had given her. She stopped up the block from the warehouse, hopefully out of sight.

 

She turned to Cain, “What weapons did you bring?”

 

Cain reached into the duffel at his feet and pulled out a handgun. “You have your own right?”

 

Harriet nodded.

 

“I brought another, but I wouldn’t trust any of these muppets with it. I have 2 collapsible batons and 2 tasers.”

 

Ross spoke indignantly from the back of the van. “I am perfectly capable of using a gun!”

 

Cain rolled his eyes and pulled out one of the batons. “Baton it is, Ross. Aaron which you want?”

 

Ross grumbled as Cain tossed him a baton. Aaron’s eyes dart from the building Robert is in to Cain and back to the building. “Baton. Hurry up.” He said.

 

“That means you get the taser Adam, you know how to use it?” Adam scoffed, but reluctantly shook his head. Aaron stared at the building trying to breathe as Cain showed Adam how to use the taser.

 

“Aaron? Aaron?” Harriet turned in the seat to get his attention. He looked at her.

 

“What is it you think is going to happen here?”

 

Aaron glared at her, confused “What are you on about? We’re going to go in there and get Robert.”

 

Harriet sighed, “And if there are people in there who don’t want to let us do that? And if he is in there, he’s for sure going to need an ambulance. What about the weapons, mines legal, but I doubt the rest of these are?”

 

Cain spoke up, “We’ll go in there, and hopefully we’ll have the numbers and this will be easy. If not, I’ll handle it. You guys,” he nods to the boys in the back, “Your weapons, are only to protect yourself and each other. If Aaron’s info is right we’ll have the surprise and there’s only 2 of them. I’ll take care of this Winters guy, Harriet you can handle the girl, Aaron will find Robert, Ross and Adam, stick with Aaron, just in case there’s anyone else in there. When it’s done, Adam you leave with the weapons. Then we’ll call in the police and the ambo.”

 

“Whoa, nobody said anything about police. I’m not sticking around for that.” Ross chimed in.

 

“Fine.” Cain said. “Everybody ready?”

 

Harriet looked at him slightly impressed. “I’ll pull the van up behind that trash bin over there. I’ll go look through the window and see what I can see before we go in.”

 

Cain started to protest, but Harriet said, “I’m a woman, they’ll be less on guard if I’m spotted. Just wait for my signal.” Cain looked unconvinced but didn’t argue.

 

Harriet pulled the van up and got out. She walked casually up to a window with bars on it and stepped on an over turned crate to look inside. She quickly ducked as a woman, walked by carrying a car battery. She slowly lifted her head, and saw the woman open a door at the end of the hall, enter and close the door behind her. Harriet jumped down off the crate and held up her hand to tell the men to wait. She walked behind the building looking in windows. When she got to the back of the building she saw that all of the windows were boarded shut. This side of the building would be the general area of the door the woman went through. She hurried back to the front of the building and gestured for the boys to join her. 

 

She quickly told them about the boarded windows and the door the woman went through. Harriet reached for the handle on the front door. It was locked. Before she could say anything Cain pulled a lock pick set out of his jacket and went to work on the door. Within a few seconds the dead bolt clicked and he opened the door.

 

Cain and Harriet entered first guns at the ready. Aaron next followed by Ross and Adam. They walked as quietly as possible down the hall. When they reached the door, they all froze. Cain reached for the door and eased it open, just a crack, listening, he heard laughter and stopped. It was a tv, hopefully loud enough to drowned out any sound they would make. He couldn’t see anything through the crack so he opened the door wider. He could see the old tv in the corner, with 2 folding chairs in front of it. There was a man lounging in one, his back to the door.

 

Cain cautiously stuck his head in the door looking for the woman, there was a small table with a laptop and take away containers on it. Two cots were against the opposite wall, next to a door with an unlocked padlock hanging on it. Cain and Harriet stepped into the room and motioned for the others to watch the hall they came down and the other door.

 

Aaron looked anxiously around for Robert. His heart was beating a million miles per minute and he fought to control his breath. Adam put his hand not holding the taser on Aaron’s arm to steady him. Ross turned to watch the hall behind them, and Adam’s eyes flickered between the door and Cain. Cain motioned for Harriet to cover him as he silently slipped up behind the man. He put the gun in the waste band of his pants, and quick as lighting he had one arm around the mans neck and a hand over his mouth.

 

Winters lets out a muffled squeal and started to struggle, but stilled when Harriet stepped into his line of sight with the gun pointed at him.

 

Cain whispered, “Where are they?”

 

The man didn’t try to speak, but his eyes involuntarily flicked to the door with the padlock and back to the gun Harriet held. She looked around the room and spotted the gun on top of the tv the man had been watching. She grabbed it and put it in her pocket.

 

“We should call the police now.” She said to Cain.

 

Cain shook his head no, and he tightened his arm around Winters neck and squeezed. As he passed out Cain lowered him silently to the floor. He grabbed some zip ties off the table and binds Winters hands behind his back.

 

“Adam” he hissed.

 

Adam moved up next to him. “Don’t take your eyes off of him, if he moves shoot him with the taser. You got it?” Adam gulped but nodded his head and pointed the taser at the man.

 

Cain and Harriet moved to the door, Aaron right behind them, while Ross guarded the entrance.

 

Cain pulled out his gun and looked to Harriet to see if she was ready. Harriet nodded, and Cain opened the door silently, but fully.

 

They look around the dark room. The woman is bent over a car battery on a small table against the wall, with a lantern beside her. It was the only light in the room and casted shadows over everything. “Jon, grab the toolbox from the other room.” She said quietly without looking up.

 

Aaron’s eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and he spotted a body on the floor across the room.

 

Meg’s head jerked up at Aaron’s gasp, and her eyes widened at the two guns pointed at her. She frowned, “Damn it, we didn’t get to the electric shock.” She said disappointedly.

 

 

Aaron rushed to the as Cain and Harriet took the women to the other room. At least he thought it was Robert, he was laying on a dirty blanket on the concrete floor. He was wearing a pair of dirty jeans, no socks, and no shirt. There was a blindfold on his eyes and headphones over his ears, his hair was greasy and matted to his head. His hands and feet were bound together with zip ties. Aaron gasped and shuddered as he stood over Robert staring at the wounds on his arms and chest. Aaron held his breath, waiting, praying that Robert was alive. Aaron knew all he had to do was kneel down and touch him, but he can’t move. And then Robert moved, it was more of a twitch really, but it was enough to snap Aaron out of his fears. He dropped to his knees beside Robert and gently removed the blindfold and the headphones. Robert stared up at Aaron, and Aaron’s breathe caught at the look of relief in his glassy eyes. They stared at each other for several seconds. Robert’s eyes began to flutter shut.

 

“Robert, Robert stay with me!” Aaron begged. As Robert smiled up at Aaron, Aaron’s tears fell onto Robert’s bruised, bloody face. Robert’s eyes closed and Aaron yelled for Cain.

 

Seconds later Harriet knelt beside Aaron. “Cain’s on the phone, an ambulance is on it’s way.”

 

Harriet reached to feel for a pulse on Robert’s neck, “He’s alive, his pulse is very weak though.”

 

Aaron nodded, “Do you have a knife? I want to get these ties off him.”

 

Harriet stood, she disappeared into the other room and when she returned Cain was behind her. She handed Aaron the knife, and he cut the ties off of Robert’s wrists, handed the knife back to Harriet and gestured at Robert’s feet.

 

“I’m going to go make sure the boys get off okay and that the medics spot us.” Cain said as he left the room.

 

Aaron sat beside Robert, gently holding his hand afraid to hurt him. He glanced at Harriet, and whispered “Why did they do this to him?”

 

She put her hand on his arm and looked around the room, “I don’t know, luv. I don’t know.”

 

She stood and walked around Aaron, she gestured at the headphones lying on the floor. “Were these on him?” She asked Aaron.

 

Aaron glanced at where she was pointing and nodded. She knelt down, and followed the cord to an old IPod lying beside the blanket. She reached down with her gloved finger and pressed the play button. They both jump as loud thumping music poured out of the headphones. She stopped the music and said “Sorry, that was really loud.”

 

Aaron didn’t look away from Robert. Harriet scrolled through the IPod, and said more to herself then anything. “It’s the only song on here. Hopeless by Breaking Benjamin.” She returned the IPod to where she found it and continued to look around the room.

 

Aaron sat in silence watching Robert breathe. Finally they heard the sirens and a minute later two EMT’s rushed in.

 

Harriet gestured them over and grabbed Aaron trying to pull him back. Aaron refused to move.

 

“Aaron, come on, you have to let them work. Come on.” She coaxed him.

 

He let go of Robert’s hand and moved back. Several policemen enter the room, one of them forced Aaron and Harriet to move further back out of the way. Aaron bumped into the table and knocked a bottle of lemon juice to the floor. He looked around the room, trying to understand, trying to comprehend what had gone on in here. He took in the box of razor blades on the table, along with a lighter, a pack of cigarettes, a bag of zip ties, a first aid kit, and the battery and wires the lady had been working on. He saw the chair in the middle of the room, and stepped closer to it. He swallowed around the lump in his throat as he looked at the drops of blood on the arms and the floor surrounding the chair. He jerked around at the sound of his name.

 

“Aaron?” Robert whimpered.

 

The EMT’s had loaded Robert on to the stretcher, and were trying to secure him to it with straps.

 

“Don’t touch me! Why did you wake me up? Aaron was here, my vision was so real this time. Why did you take him away?” Robert mumbled, breathing hard, trying to push the straps away.

 

Aaron grabbed his flailing hand, “I’m here Robert, I’m here. It’s ok. You’re ok.”

 

At the sound of Aaron’s voice Robert stilled, the peaceful smile returning to his face.

 

One of the EMT’s looked at Aaron and then at Robert. He turned to one of the officers, “This guy is coming with us.”

 

When it looked like the officer might argue, he said, “The patient is clearly agitated, and it looks like this guy can help him stay calm.” He looked around the room. “We don’t need to traumatize him anymore.”

 

The officer nodded reluctantly, and said to Aaron, “I’ll send someone to question you at the hospital.”

 

The other EMT finished strapping Robert down, and they began to wheel him out. Aaron followed beside them never letting go of Robert’s hand.

 

“Thank you.” He whispered to the EMT who nodded as they all climb into the ambulance.


	9. Chapter 9

The EMT’s pushed Robert’s gurney into the hospital with Aaron walking beside, still holding tightly to his hand.

 

Doctors and nurses rushed up to them, someone grabbed Aaron’s arm,

 

“You’ll have to stay here, sir.” A nurse said to him, as they continued to push the gurney farther into the hospital.

 

Aaron tried to hold on to Robert, but there were to many people. As their hands slipped apart, Roberts’s eyes snapped open and he called out in a rough moan “Aaron? Aaron?” He began to push at the hands touching him, trying to help him.

 

Aaron tried to get past the nurse, tried to get back to Robert. He yelled, “I’m staying with him!” As he pushed past her she called for security and a big man in a uniform stepped in front of Aaron. He could hear Robert behind the curtain, calling his name.

 

Another security guard stepped up behind Aaron and grabbed his arms pulling them behind him. He struggled, “Please, he needs me, please let me go to him.” Aaron fell to the ground with the security guards standing over him.

 

Robert’s cries stopped, Aaron looked towards the curtain, tears running down his face his eyes wild.

 

A nurse knelt down beside him and put her hand on his arm. “The doctor sedated him, so they could see the extent of his injuries. Come with me, and I promise I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as they’ve looked him over.”

 

Aaron took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his face as the nurse helped him up and led him to a waiting area. He sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.

 

He felt the nurse sit beside him. “Is there anyone I can call for you or for….” She stopped realizing she didn’t know the patients name.

 

“Robert, his names Robert.” Aaron whispered.

 

“Robert. Is there anyone I can call for him? Next of kin?” Aaron’s head shot up. “Are you his next of kin?” She asked hesitantly.

 

Aaron shook his head. “Well, we need to get someone here to make decisions on his behalf.”

 

“I’ll call, them.” Aaron said.

 

The nurse stood, and Aaron grabbed her hand, “You’ll still tell me how he is, right, what’s going on?” She looked into his eyes, and sighed. She nodded, smiled gently at him and walked away.

 

Aaron pulled out his cell and took a deep breath. He stared at the screen, trying to decide who to call first. He looked up as Cain and Harriet walked up to him, followed be several police officers.

 

Cain looked at him, “What happened to you?”

 

Aaron just looked at him questioningly.

 

Cain raised his eyebrows and said, “You look like you’ve been scrapping.”

 

Aaron shrugged, “A slight disagreement with security. I’m surprised the police let you come.”

 

Cain looked angrily at the officers watching them. “Harriet, can be persuasive.”

 

Cain gestured at the cell in Aaron’s hand. “I already called Chas, Adam had already spoke with Vic, I’m sure they are all on there way by now.”

 

Aaron nodded, he fleetingly wondered if someone called Chrissie, and what he will say to her when she shows up, but he pushed the thoughts away, and sat back down to wait.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

 Aaron rolled his eyes at the police officer asking him questions. He’d already told the story twice, yet they kept asking the same questions over and over. He should be grateful that they let him answer questions here instead of taking him into the station (Harriet really was persuasive). He told them everything that happened, omitting Adam and Ross and how they had really found out where Robert was being held. They had agreed to say that Aaron had ran into someone during his random questioning that had seen Winters entering that building and that Aaron had asked Harriet and Cain to go with him to look around. So far everyone seemed to be buying it.

 

Most of the officers left having finished getting statements from Aaron, Cain and Harriet. 2 stayed behind hoping to be able to talk to Robert when the doctors were done.

 

Aaron looked around for the nurse, Emily, who had so far kept her promise to keep him updated, but didn’t see her. The last update she’d given him hadn’t reported much change, Robert was still sedated and the doctors were still looking over his injuries. All she would say was that he had a lot of drugs in his system and he was dehydrated, but he was stable.

 

Cain sighed, “Looks like the whole village came.”

 

Aaron followed Cain’s eyes to the entrance of the hospital to see Diane, Vic, Andy, Adam, Chas, Paddy, Lawrence and Chrissie rushing through the doors. Chrissie and Lawrence are the loudest as they all stopped at the nurses desk and demanded to know what was going on.

 

Adam spotted Aaron and headed towards him followed by Vic, Chas and Paddy.

 

Vic threw her arms around Aaron. “It was bad wasn’t it? It must have been bad Adam won’t tell me much.”

 

She pulled away to look at Aaron’s face. She gasped at the pain she saw there. “Is he ok? Is he….?”

 

Before Aaron could respond, the rest of the group walked up to them. Diane answered Vic’s questioning look with “the nurse went to get the doctor.”

 

Vic went to Diane and put her arm around her. Chas put her hand on Aaron’s arm. “You all right, Luv?”

 

Aaron nodded unconvincingly.

 

Chrissie pushed her way through the crowd to stand in front of Aaron “What in the bloody hell is going on?” she glared at him angrily. “Diane called to say that Robert was in the hospital? That he had been kidnapped? What are you even doing here? Someone tell me what’s going on.!”

 

Aaron opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out.

 

Harriet stepped up and said “Robert was kidnapped, he has been held prisoner and tortured.” She paused as everyone gasped. “We found out a possible location for his captives, we went there and once we found him we called the police.”

 

Chrissie stared at her in shock.

 

Lawrence stepped up beside her and said, “None of this makes any sense. Robert ran off, he sent a text saying he was leaving. There was no evidence he was taken.”

 

At this Aaron step towards him. “That’s not entirely true is it? Edna told you what she saw, and _you_ decided it didn’t mean anything!”

 

Chrissie turned to Lawrence “What is he talking about Dad?”

 

Before Lawrence could explain a doctor walked up to them, “Chrissie Sugden?” he asked.

 

“How is he?” Chrissie questioned as she hurried to the doctor.

 

“Mrs. Sugden?” He asked. “Would you like to speak in private?” He looked around at all of the people clustered around them.

 

Chrissie glanced at the people around her. “No, it’s fine, just tell me what’s going on.”

 

Aaron clinched his fists waiting for the doctor to speak. Chas put her arm around him.

 

“I don’t know if you’ve spoken with the police yet, but Mr. Sugden was brought in with extensive injuries, but none of them appear to be life threatening at this moment. He has a lot of drugs in his system and that is slowing his heart rate down, so we are monitoring that.”

 

The doctor glanced at Aaron. “He was very agitated when he came in, so we had to sedate him.” Aaron scoffed.

 

“He is dehydrated so we’re giving him fluids.” The doctor looked down and paused like he didn’t want to say anymore. But he took a breath and looked back at Chrissie.

 

“He has cuts on his legs, chest and back, and a big one on his wrist. It looks like someone stitched it closed, but it’s infected. There are also infected burns on his feet. We are giving him antibiotics for the infections and pneumonia. It looks like he was beaten and kicked repeatedly, he has bruises mostly on his face and stomach, a few broken ribs, broken nose. We are running tests right now, to rule out internal bleeding and swelling on the brain.” The doctor stopped talking, and looked around at all the shocked faces.

 

“I know it’s a lot to take in.” He looked at Chrissie. “I’ll have a nurse come get you as soon as he’s settled in a room.”

 

Aaron looked around the group, several of them were crying. Chrissie was sobbing and Lawrence was holding her. Andy was trying to comfort Vic and Diane. Aaron looked down at Chas, who was staring at him with shocked pity. He shrugged her arm off and walked away. Chas started to go after him, but Adam grabbed her arm. “Let me.” He said. She looked like she was going to protest, but she sighed and nodded.

 

Adam found Aaron in an empty hallway slouched against the wall, his head in his hands, sobs racking his body. Adam sat on the floor beside Aaron and put his arm around his shoulders. Eventually Aaron’s sobs subsided, Adam removed his arm but sat silently beside Aaron.

 

“Did you see him Adam, did you see in that room?” Aaron asked in a broken whisper.

 

Adam nodded, “I saw. For a minute I saw.” Adam shuddered. “It was enough.”

 

Aaron shook his head “The things he went through. He was there for 2 weeks, Adam! 2 weeks! Why didn’t I find him sooner? I should have found him sooner!” Aaron growled.

 

Adam grabbed Aaron’s shoulder and shook him. “Hey, stop it! You did everything you could! You found him Aaron, you believed he was alive when everyone else was ready to give up! You were the only one who even knew anything was wrong! You saved him!”

 

Aaron took a deep breath trying to calm himself down. They sat together in silence for a few minutes until Aaron said, “I hate hospitals, I know most people hate them but ever since Jackson…” He shuddered.

 

Adam leaned against Aaron, their shoulders touching. “Hey, try not to think about that, Robert is going to be fine.”

 

Aaron nodded, “We should go back. See if anything has changed.”

 

They stood and walked down the hall stopping at a bathroom so Aaron could splash some water on his face.

 

When they walked up to the others, Vic hurried up to them. “I was just going to come look for you guys. We are moving up to the 2nd floor, that’s where Robert’s room is.”

 

They all loaded into the elevator, Aaron was relieved that at least for the moment everyone seemed to be to shocked to ask him any questions. He’s still not sure what he’s going to say when someone asks him why he was looking for Robert, or why he’s still at the hospital. Because he has no intention of leaving, he’ll just have to deal with the questions as they come.

 

An hour later, they are all in a small waiting room. Aaron is standing against the wall staring at the floor. Chas and Paddy are sitting beside him looking worriedly at him.

 

Nurse Emily entered the room and looked around. Her eyes landed on Aaron and she smiled sympathetically at him as she said “Mrs. Sugden?”

 

Chrissie jumped up. “Can I see him?” she asked.

 

“He’s still sedated, but you can sit with him for awhile if you would like. She looked around at everyone else, “I’m sorry he’s only allowed one visitor at a time. And immediate family only.” She said the last part as she glanced at Aaron. He clinched his fists and forced himself not to follow Chrissie and Lawrence as they left the room. As soon as they were gone, Aaron turned and repeatedly kicked the empty chair next to him. Everyone gasped and Paddy and Chas jumped up to stop him but Adam stepped in front of them. Aaron kicked the chair a few more times. Everyone stared at him, as he finally stopped and collapsed into the chair, breathing hard.

 

Diane looked at Vic and whispered “What’s his problem?” Vic just shook her head.

 

A few minutes later Lawrence came back into the room. He looked at Diane and said, “the doctors don’t think he’ll wake up until tomorrow. Visiting hours are over so, we are getting ready to go. If you need a ride in the morning I’m sure we can pick up on our way in.”

 

Diane got up “Are you sure he’s ok?”

 

“Yes I just spoke with the doctors. He doesn’t have any internal bleeding. He does have pneumonia but they’ve put him on antibiotics to clear up that and the infections. He’ll be fine for the night and if something changes they will call us immediately and I’ll call you.” Lawrence and Diane walked out with Vic and Andy following.

 

Chas, Paddy and Adam stared at Aaron. “Are you ready to go, Luv?” Chas asked him.

 

Aaron shook his head. “I’m not leaving, you guys go ahead.”

 

Chas and Paddy both started to protest, but Adam said “You sure, Mate? I can hang with you, I don’t mind.”

 

“I’m fine, I just... I can’t leave him here alone. Get them out of here will you?” Aaron asked.

 

Adam started to usher Paddy and Chas out of the room. Chas slipped around him and went to Aaron. “Are you sure? I can stay with you, Luv.”

 

Aaron hugged his mum and said “Mum, it’s ok, I’m fine, please just go.”

 

Chas looked at him and nodded, and the three of them left the room. Aaron waited for a while to make sure everyone had left, and went to find out what room Robert was in.

 

He did a little bit of snooping and found out Robert’s room number. He waited until there was no one in site and started to enter the room. “Excuse me, I’m sorry, you can’t go in there, visiting hours are over.” Nurse Emily said to him.

 

Aaron turned to look at her. “Oh, it’s you.” She said to him with a smile.

 

“Ya, I’m Aaron by the way. I just need to see him for a minute. Please?” Aaron pleaded.

 

Emily looked around the hallway, and back at Aaron. “Ok, 5 minutes, that’s it, and if you get caught don’t mention my name, I could get fired for this.”

 

Aaron smiled at her. “5 minutes, got it. Cheers!”

 

He entered the darkened room silently shutting the door behind him. Robert was laying on the bed, IV’s and wires sticking out of him. Aaron slowly walked up to him. He tentatively reached out and put his hand on top of Roberts. He stared at him, taking it all in. The bandages on his nose and arms, the marks on his wrists where the ties had rubbed them raw, the bruises on his face, the way his hair was still matted down from the headphones. Aaron swiped the tears off his cheeks and took a deep breath trying to stop them.

 

Aaron bent down and whispered. “I’m here Robert, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right outside all night, I promise.” He gently pressed his lips to Robert’s dry cracked ones and left the room.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron jerked awake, knocking the blanket someone had thrown over him onto the floor. He shook his head trying to wake himself up. After Aaron had left Robert’s room he had stood in the hallway staring at Robert through the window until Nurse Emily had come to check on him. She had tried to convince him to go home for the night, or at the very least get some sleep in the waiting room, but he had refused. She had warned him that she had some duties to attend to and the nurse that was coming to replace her was a stickler for the rules. He had stayed at the window until the new nurse, Nurse Gina had shown up and forced him to the waiting room, by threatening to make him leave all together. He had paced the waiting room, unable to rest. Eventually he had collapsed into a chair, but still couldn’t sleep. He had sat there for hours, staring at the floor trying not to think, trying not to see Robert lying on the cold hard floor, trying not to hear his whimpers.

 

He stood and stretched, folding the blanket and stacking it and the pillow in a chair. He went to the restroom, to splash some water on his face, and then went to check on Robert. He looked in Robert’s window, Nurse Gina was in there doing something with his IV.

 

Emily walked up beside him, “Good morning Aaron. I’m glad you got a little bit of sleep.”

 

Aaron smiled at her, “Ta. What about Robert? Did he wake up yet?”

 

She shook her head, “No not yet.”

 

Aaron caught site of Chrissie and Lawrence at the other end of the hallway talking to a doctor. “Umm, I’m going to go get some coffee and then I’ll be in the waiting room. Let me know if anything changes, please?”

 

She followed his worried eyes to Chrissie and Lawrence and nodded at him.

 

He hurried off in the opposite direction. He knew Chrissie was going to find out he’s still at the hospital eventually but he still had no idea what he was going to say to her, so best to put it off as long as possible. He found a coffee vending machine, and headed back to the waiting room.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Chrissie entered Robert’s room hesitantly and sat in the chair beside his bed. The doctor said he should wake up anytime, and it would be good if she were there when he did. She reached out and put her hand gently over his, avoiding the bruises on his wrist. She took a deep breath, she couldn’t believe this was happening. She spent two weeks thinking that Robert had left her. She had berated him to her family and pretty much anyone who would listen. I should have known. She thought to herself. I should have been looking for him, _Aaron_ had been looking for him. That part of the story still confused her, she had spoken to the cops and found out that Aaron had been asking about Robert in Leeds and found someone who had spotted this Winters guy. What she couldn’t understand is why Aaron was looking for him in the first place, and why he had risked his life to rescue him. When she got back to the village her first stop was going to be Aaron, she needed some answers.

 

She jerked her hand back as Robert twitched. She jumped up and pushed the call button for the nurse. She stared at Robert’s face, it was almost unrecognizable, the bruises and bandage on his nose almost concealing the pale gauntness of it. Nurse Gina entered the room. “He moved, I think he’s waking up.”

 

Gina nodded and walked up to look at the machines monitoring him. “Just remember, he will probably be confused, disoriented, in shock. The important thing is that he stays as calm as possible. If he does panic we can sedate him again, but the doctor want’s to avoid that if at all possible. So, just try and keep him calm and relaxed.” At the panicked look in Chrissie’s eye, Gina smiled at her and said, “I’m sure just your presence will help him.”

 

Chrissie nodded.

 

Robert mumbled something. Chrissie leaned down trying to hear what he was saying. “Can’t force the vision, he’ll come, just gotta wait. He’ll come.”

 

“Robert?” Chrissie asked as she gently touched his cheek. He jerked and his eyes snapped open.

 

Chrissie pulled her hand back. “It’s okay, honey. It’s me, you’re ok.”

 

Robert’s eyes flickered around the room not focusing on anything. “Aaron? It’s so quiet. Where are you? Aaron?” His breath quickened and his heart monitor began to beep erratically.

 

Chrissie frowned down at him. Why was he asking for Aaron?

 

Robert tried to feel for the headphones that had become a permanent fixture on his head, but the IV in the back of his hand pulled. He jerked his hand, trying to release it. Gina grabbed his arm to keep him from pulling out the IV. As soon as she touched him, he started panicking, his breath came in short gasps, his eyes darted around, he began to kick his legs scrambling to get away, which caused him to wince in pain at the broken ribs. “Aaron? Aaron?” His whispers turned to rough shouts as Emily entered the room. Gina looked over her shoulder as she tried to keep him from hurting himself as best she could, but the more she touched him the more panicked he became. Chrissie tried to help, but even her touch and soothing words didn’t seem to reach him.

 

“Bring the sedatives, Emily.” Gina said.

 

Emily hesitated for a second looking at Chrissie, and then to Robert who was still randomly calling Aaron’s name and mumbling nonsense. “Aaron’s here. Should we let him try first?” She asked.

 

“Oh, the one who wouldn’t leave? Ya, grab him, but hurry!”

 

Emily turned and ran for the waiting room and Aaron.

 

                                                                        __________

 

 

Aaron was texting his mom assuring her he was fine when Emily burst into the waiting room. Aaron turned frightened eyes to her. “What’s wrong, what happened.”

 

“He’s awake. He’s panicking, and fighting, but keeps saying your name. We need to get him calmed down or we’ll have to sedate him again.” Aaron barely let her finish before he was running for Robert’s room.

 

He entered the room, and without hesitating rushed to grab Robert’s flailing hand. He noticed Chrissie stood by the wall staring at Robert in shock, but Aaron didn’t care, if she figured it out she figured it out.

 

Robert tried to jerk his hand away from Aaron, but Aaron refused to let go. “Robert!” He said loud enough to be heard. “It’s okay, Robert, you’re okay.” Robert began to calm immediately upon hearing Aaron’s voice. Aaron continued to whisper soothingly to him until he calmed completely, he became so still Aaron thought maybe he had fallen asleep. He whispered, “Robert are you awake?”

 

Robert smiled, and opened his eyes. “I’ll stay awake along as I can for my favorite vision.” He whispered back.

 

Aaron smiled. “I’m not a vision, ya idiot.” He said affectionately.

 

“You’re safe now, you’re in the hospital. This is Gina, she’s a nurse, she’s going to check your IV, ok?”

 

Robert’s eyes flickered to Gina and back to Aaron. “You’ve never brought a nurse with you before, that’s a nice touch.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes, but smiled at Robert. He nodded to Gina who gently repositioned Robert’s IV. He didn’t even flinch at her touch.

 

Robert’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.

 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Aaron asked as he gently wiped a tear from Robert’s face.

 

“This is the longest you’ve ever stayed. I was wondering if I’m dead.” Robert said in weak, cracking voice.

 

“No.” Aaron said fiercely. He held up their entwined hands, “Do you feel this? Feel my hand in yours? We are in the hospital Robert, this is not a hallucination. You are not dead, and I’m not going anywhere.”

 

The door opened and Lawrence and the doctor walked into the room. Aaron glanced up and then back at Robert. “Look! Lawrence is here. There’s no way I would bring him into a hallucination, right?”

 

Robert chuckled and then looked around the room. He spotted Chrissie standing silently by the wall with a confused look on her face.

 

His smiled disappeared “Shit, you would definitely not bring Chrissie.” He looked back at Aaron. “I’m really in the hospital? This is not a hallucination?” he asked uncertainly.

 

Aaron nodded. He tensed, waiting for Robert to jerk his hand away, and make some excuse about why Aaron was there. But he didn’t, he just looked at Chrissie as he squeezed Aaron’s hand and said, “I guess I have some explaining to do.”

 

Everyone was silent for several very long seconds, and then Robert began to cough a deep hacking cough. He grabbed his chest with the hand not holding on to Aaron, and winced.

 

Gina grabbed a cup of water with a straw and held it out for Robert to drink. Robert flinched away as he coughed again. He looked at Aaron. Aaron grabbed the cup from Gina and held the straw to Robert’s lips. Robert looked at Aaron and took a drink.

 

The doctor stepped up to the foot of Robert’s bed and picked up his chart flipping through it. “Robert, I’m Doctor Allister. I’m not going to ask how you are. I know you are in some pain, let me ask you some questions, check you over and then the police need to speak with you. After that we’ll give you something to help you rest. Is that ok?”

 

Robert looked from Aaron to Chrissie and back to the doctor. Doctor Allister said, “I know you need some time with your…” He hesitated “family, but you need to rest and stay calm. There will be plenty of time for conversation later. All right?” Without waiting for a response from Robert he looked around the room, and said “Ok, I need to clear this room out so I can examine Robert.”

 

Robert’s hand tensed in Aaron’s pulling him closer. Lawrence turned to open the door, and looked back at Chrissie. Chrissie walked to him not even glancing toward Robert or Aaron. Gina motioned for Aaron to follow them out, Aaron patted their entwined hands with his other hand, trying to get Robert to loosen his grip. “I’ll be right outside.” He said to Robert with a gentle smile.

 

“No.” Robert gasped, the monitor attached to his heart began to beep as Robert coughed again.

 

The doctor looked at Aaron. “Why don’t you stay? This will be much easier if he’s calm and you seem to help keep him that way.” Aaron smiled in relief.

 

“Seriously? Lawrence spoke up from the door. “You’re going to let this piece of trash stay, but Robert’s _wife_ has to leave?”

 

“Dad, it’s fine. We’ll deal with this later. The important thing is to make sure Robert’s ok.” Chrissie said.

 

Robert tried to say something to her, but was hit with another round of coughing.

 

Chrissie and Lawrence left the room, as the doctor began his examination.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

“All right Robert. You have pneumonia, which is causing your cough, and some of your injuries have become infected. We are giving you antibiotics to clear those up. You have some minor internal bleeding and a few cracked ribs. The internal bleeding has mostly stopped, but we will continue to monitor it. Your nose is also broken, we’ve set that. You are dehydrated and malnourished, the IV fluids will help with that. Basically, you need to rest. I know you just slept for 15 hours, but exhaustion can be a dangerous thing. So, is there any other issues we didn’t talk about? Any pain or discomfort?”

 

Robert blinked his eyes, “Umm, I’m not sure.” He glanced at Aaron who gave him a reassuring look. “Did we talk about my ears, they kind of ache and there’s a buzzing sound.” A look of understanding crosses his face. “It’s almost like an echo. An echo of the song th… I listened to.” He started to say, “they made me listen to” but changed it in the hope that he wouldn’t have to think about them right now.

 

“Song?” The doctor asked.

 

Robert looked at Aaron. “The headphones?” The asked? Robert nodded.

 

“Umm, he was wearing headphones, they were attached to an iPod with a song, set at a loud volume. I guess they made you listen to it a lot?” Aaron asked Robert.

 

Robert nodded his head erratically and said “Ya, over and over, really loud. It would stop and start again as soon as I fell asleep. Start and stop randomly for days, or what felt like days, it was impossible to keep track of time. Seems stupid now that it effected me so much.”

 

The doctor shook his head “No, No it doesn’t. The lack of sleep alone combined with the high volume… I’ll get a consultation with an audiologist and see what he thinks.”

 

“Ok… the police would like to speak with you. You up for it now or should I see if I can put them off?” The doctor asked him.

 

Robert coughed, wincing as Aaron stood from his chair beside the bed to help him sit up a little bit more.

 

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll see if I can put them off a little longer, you rest. I’ll have Gina give you something for the pain.”

 

The doctor turned and left the room, leaving Aaron and Robert alone for the first time.

 

“So, you were really there, in the room? How did you find me?” Robert asked quietly.

 

Aaron nodded “Ya know, couple questions, PI, favors to a few friends. I’ll tell you the whole story later.” Aaron paused and took a deep breath trying to hold back the  tears that threatened. “Aaron? What’s wrong?”

 

 “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. I’m sorry you were taken in the first place.” Aaron whispered.

 

“Hey…” Robert reached to wipe a tear off of his cheek. “It’s not your fault…”

  
Aaron interrupted him. “It is my fault! If I hadn’t run off that day, you wouldn’t have been out there looking for me.”

 

“Aaron, I had a lot of time to think, and I’ve realized some things.” He stopped to cough and Aaron helped him drink some more water. “I’m a coward.” Aaron tried to speak but Robert held up his hand. “I need to say this. I’m a coward, and what happened to me was my fault. All my life, I’ve treated people like objects. Joanna? I didn’t kill her, but she was emotionally unstable and I used that to my advantage, I led her on and then when I was through with her I dropped her. Katie? Her death was my fault! I made her think she was crazy. You, Chrissie, Lawrence, my family. I lie and I manipulate to get what I want, it’s what I’ve always done. Well, I want it to stop, I want to be different, better. And that starts with telling Chrissie the truth. I don’t think I’m going to be able to stay awake much longer, and she’s not going to go easy on you when you go out there. So, tell her this. I’m sorry, that I hurt her, that I lied, that I was such a coward. Tell her that I want to explain everything as soon as I can.” He stopped speaking as another coughing fit overtook him. When it subsided, he looked at Aaron. “I’m sorry, Aaron. For so many things. I’m sorry, that I hurt you so many times, I’m sorry that I was such a coward, I’m sorry that I wasted so much time not being with you. I love you Aaron, I love you so much and I want to be with you properly. If you’ll have me?”

 

Aaron hesitated. “Robert, are you sure about this? I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this because we can think of something. Some way to explain everything so Chrissie will understand. You’ve been through something horrible, you shouldn’t make life changing decisions right now.”

 

Robert smiled at him. “I understand why it might feel like I’m just going with what’s happened, but I actually made this decision right after they took me. I promised myself that if I got out of there I would tell Chrissie the truth, and do whatever it took to convince you that you are the one I want. The one I need, the one I can’t live without. I’m scared Aaron, I’m scared that I’m going to be completely messed up from this, that it’s going to turn me into an even worse person then I was. I wish it hadn’t taken this, for me to realize the truth, but we both know how stubborn I am. I know the road back is going to be hard, but I know that I can do it, and I hope that you will agree to be by my side as I do.”

 

Aaron and Robert were both crying now. Aaron smiled at him, and leaned over Robert so there lips were almost touching. “You’re sure?” Aaron asked.

 

Robert nodded. “I choose you, Aaron.”

 

Aaron grinned, “We’ll get through this together. I love you Robert.” He pressed his lips gently to Robert’s and pulled back not wanting to hurt him.

 

Robert smirked at him. “Are you sure you’re not a hallucination? The real Aaron’s never kissed me that gently before.”

 

Aaron scoffed. “I’ve never been afraid of hurting you before.”

 

Robert yawned and his eyes fluttered.

 

Aaron smiled at him. “You need to sleep.”

 

Robert frowned “I don’t want to leave you to deal with everyone. But I don’t think I can help it right now.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes, “Don’t worry I can handle them. Should I tell Chrissie about us or put her off until you wake up?”

 

Robert chuckled. “Good luck trying to put her off. It’s up to you, whatever you need to tell her you can. She should hear it from me but I doubt she’ll wait. So…” His eyes closed and then shot open. “You’ll stay, until I’m asleep, right?”

 

Aaron nodded “And I’ll be back before you wake up, I promise.”

 

Robert’s eyes closed again and he drifted into sleep with a small smile on his face.

 

Aaron sat with him for several minutes, watching him sleep. Robert’s sleep was anything but peaceful. He started mumbling, and tossing his head. Aaron stroked the side of his head, trying to avoid the bruises. He leaned down and murmured, “It’s ok. You’re ok, I’m hear, just rest.” Robert began to still. Aaron kept speaking to him until he slipped into a deeper sleep.

 

Aaron pushed the call button hoping it was Emily who answered. A minute later she walked in. She looked at Robert and smiled. “Oh, good he’s asleep.”

 

Aaron watched Robert’s face as he twitched and then settled. “Ya, I need to go talk to his family for a minute. Do you think you could stay with him, and come get me if he starts to wake up? I promised I’d be here when he woke up. I won’t be long.”

 

Emily smiled at him. “Sure. I can do that.”

 

“Cheers.” Aaron replied as he reached up to brush Robert’s shaggy hair out of his face.

 

Emily looked at him. “You really love him don’t you?”

 

Aaron let out a breath. “Ya. Now, I just have to go tell his wife. If I didn’t know better I’d say he was faking sleep to get out of telling everyone.” He looked up at Emily, “You’ll come get me, if he starts tossing about?”

 

She nodded, “At the first sign that he’s waking up or having a nightmare.”

 

“Ta.” Aaron said as he placed a kiss on an unbruised spot of Robert’s forehead and went to face the music.

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron stood outside the door to the waiting room. He took a deep breath and entered. Everyone in the room turned to look at him. Chas and Paddy were there. As were Diane, Vic, Adam and Andy. But it was Chrissie who ran up to him and slapped him across the face. She was yelling before she even reached him. “You bastard, what did you do to Robert? Did you kidnap him and brainwash him?”

 

Adam grabbed Chrissie’s arm before she could slap Aaron again. Chas jumped in front of Aaron and pushed Chrissie back “Get away from my son you crazy bitch! He’s the one that found him.” She yelled at Chrissie.

 

Everyone was talking at once, Chas yelling at Chrissie. Chrissie yelling at Aaron. Diane and Andy asking Vic what was going on. Lawrence trying to calm Chrissie and get Adam off of her.

 

Aaron put his fingers in his mouth and whistled, everyone froze and stared at him. “Ok, Chrissie can I speak with you in private?” He asked while rubbing his red cheek.

 

“No.” She growled “You tell me right here, right now what you did to my husband.”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes. “I didn’t do anything to him. I do have a message for you though. He’s asleep, but he wanted me to tell you he’s sorry that he hurt you, and sorry that he was a coward. He wants to explain everything to you when he wakes up.”

 

Chrissie yelled. “What does that even mean? If he wants to explain so badly why isn’t he doing it instead of sleeping.”

 

Aaron’s face filled with rage. He stepped up close to her and growled. “I understand you’re upset and confused, but he needs rest. If you saw the things those people did to him…” He shuddered. “So, I’m going to tell you some things and you can take out your anger on me, but you are going to wait until he is healed to yell at him. Do you understand me?”

 

Chrissie stared at him and finally nodded.

 

Aaron took a deep breath and stepped back.

 

“Robert and I have been having an affair, since December.” Aaron said. He looked around the room at the gasps from Diane, Andy, Chrissie and Lawrence.

 

“That’s, that’s ridiculous.” Chrissie sputtered. “Robert’s not gay. I would know.”

 

Aaron just looked at her. “He doesn’t like labels so, I don’t know what he’d call himself. Probably Bi. But that’s not the point.”

 

“I don’t understand. How did you find him? How did you even know he was missing?” She asked.

 

“I had a voicemail, tracked it to the last person that saw him, Edna. A few of us investigated, figured out where he was. So, we went and got him.”

 

“Why, didn’t you just call the police. Why would you risk your life?” Lawrence asked him.

 

Aaron looked at him and simply said, “I love him.”

 

Chrissie scoffed. “This is ridiculous. Dad, we’re leaving. I refuse to listen to anymore of this.” She stormed out with Lawrence trailing after her.

 

Aaron looked at Andy and Diane. “You two ok with this?” He asked.

 

Diane startled like she hadn’t been paying attention. “Oh, of course pet. It is a bit of a shock and I’m not a fan of the cheating part, but if you two make each other happy, then I support you both.”

 

Andy nodded his head, “Ya, same for me.” He said a little uncomfortably. He looked at Vic. “What about you?”

 

Vic looked at him apologetically “I’ve known for a few days. I was shocked, and I really want to talk to Robert about it. But I’ve seen how much Aaron loves him, the way he searched for him and refused to give up. Plus I think Aaron will be good for Robert.” She smiled at Aaron.

 

Aaron smiled back.

 

“So, Aaron how is he, really?” Diane asked.

 

Aaron turned to her, “Physically he seems pretty good, the pneumonia has given him a nasty cough, and when he coughs it hurts his ribs. I don’t know. I don’t think he’s really even started processing any of it yet. For most of the time he was awake, he was convinced I was a hallucination, so…”

 

Emily entered the waiting room. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Aaron, but you wanted me to get you if I thought he was going to wake up? I think he’s having a nightmare.”

 

Aaron nodded. “Ok, I’m coming.” Aaron turned to leave the room.

 

Diane called after him. “Give him our love Aaron!”

 

                                                            __________

 

 

Aaron and Emily hurried towards Robert’s room. As they were about to reach the door. Gina stepped in front of it. “I’m sorry. Only family is allowed in the room.”

 

Aaron and Emily stopped and stared at her. Emily spoke first. “Gina, this is Aaron he was just in there with him.”

 

Gina looked at him apologetically. “I know, but technically only family is allowed, and his wife….” Chrissie and Lawrence walked down the hall with a security guard following along behind them.

 

“Chrissie what are you doing? This isn’t the time for this.” Aaron said angrily.

 

Chrissie glared at him. “Robert is my husband, and you are no longer welcome here.”

 

Emily had moved to look in the window at Robert. “His heart rate is increasing, I think he’s having a nightmare.”

 

Aaron stepped around Gina to look through the window.

 

Robert was once again tossing his head and jerking around on the bed, Aaron could see his mouth moving but couldn’t hear what he was saying. Robert’s arm jerked up as if to block a blow, and the IV pulled out of his hand. “Stop! No more!” Robert yelled loud enough for all of them to hear him.

 

Gina and Emily rushed into the room, Aaron tried to follow, but the security guard stepped in front of him. Aaron almost punched the man but stopped himself at the last second, if he got arrested he would never get to Robert.

 

He turned to Chrissie, “Chrissie, please?”

 

Chrissie ignored him and stepped around the guard to enter Robert’s room.

 

Gina and Emily had woken Robert up and were trying to calm him, but weren’t having much luck. Chrissie stepped up to his bed and grabbed his hand. He flinched, but didn’t pull away. His breathing was harsh and fast and he was mumbling incoherently. “What? I can’t… I can’t breathe. They… Cold.. I saw… Where’s…?” His eyes flickered around the room.

 

Chrissie tried to talk to him, comfort him. He didn’t seem to hear her, just rambled on not making much sense.

 

Gina stepped up to Chrissie. “We are going to have to sedate him, he’s confused and exhausted. He needs to sleep.”

 

Chrissie nodded.

 

Emily hesitated and then said. “I know you’re angry, but Aaron helped him sleep earlier. It would be better for Robert if he could rest without the sedation.”

 

Chrissie turned anger filled eyes on her, but before she could respond Robert spoke up “Aaron? Chrissie? I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I hurt you both. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall in love with him. I tried to not to, I’m sorry I hurt you, not sorry I love him.” Robert was staring at his hand as he gasped the words out in between shallow breaths.

 

Chrissie didn’t know if he was even aware that she was listening, but she started to cry. “Let him in.” She whispered to Emily. Who immediately went to the door to get Aaron.

 

Aaron hurried to Robert’s side and grabbed his hand. He spoke gently to Robert. Robert turned to meet his eyes, and held them. Aaron smiled “It’s ok, breathe. Slow deep breaths. In and out. You’re ok.” Aaron remembered the techniques he had learned to control the panic attacks he had after Jackson died. Once Robert’s breathing started to return to normal. Aaron turned to thank Chrissie for changing her mind, but she was gone. Gina and Emily had disappeared too, leaving Aaron and Robert alone.

 

Aaron turned back to Robert. “You ok?”

 

Robert nodded “What happened?”

 

“I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now you need to sleep.”

 

Robert looked down. “I’m fine. I don’t need to sleep.”

 

“Robert, you are not fine. You’re exhausted. Move over.”

 

Robert looked at him confused. “What?”

 

“Move over.”

 

Robert moved to one side of the bed. Aaron raised the head of the bed and climbed up beside him. He sat back against and pulled Robert to him, tucking him against his chest.

 

“You’re the one who kept me going, you know? I would of given up, if not for you. I love you, Aaron.” Robert whispered as he fell into an exhausted sleep.

 

Aaron smiled “I love you, too.”

                       

                                                            __________

 

 

One month later Aaron pushed Robert’s wheelchair out the hospital doors. Adam and Victoria were leaning against the car waiting for them. Vic rushed to Robert and hugged him as he got up from the chair. He laughed, “Hey, Vic. Thanks for coming to pick us up.”

 

She stepped back and waved his thanks away. “Of course, we’re going to pick you up. Come on, let’s get out of this place.”

 

Aaron shut the boot after having put Robert’s bag into it, and went to climb into the back seat. Vic opened the door and grabbed Robert’s arm as if to help him into the car. Robert rolled his eyes, and patted her hand, “Vic, I’m fine, I can get into the car by myself.”

 

Victoria laughed, and withdrew her hand. “You’ve been hanging around Aaron to much.”

 

Robert looked at her, confused as she shut his door, and got into the front seat beside Adam.

 

“What are you on about?” He asked worriedly.

 

She turned to look between him and Aaron. “That eye roll, that’s one of Aaron’s signature looks.” She laughed as she turned back to Adam.

 

Aaron looked at Robert, Robert smiled and grabbed Aaron’s hand threading their fingers together and resting their hands on the seat between them.

 

Aaron sighed contentedly as he settled back into the seat for the trip home. This last month hadn’t been easy. Robert had gotten worse before he started to get better.

 

Physically all of his injuries had healed pretty quickly accept for the pneumonia and the ringing in his ears. The pneumonia had held on tight and taken several rounds of antibiotics to clear up enough for them to release him. The ear specialist had said he had partial hearing loss in both ears, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The ringing is the worst when he has panic attacks or becomes tired, it comes and goes, but has been getting better over the last few weeks.

 

The mental issues were a lot more difficult for Robert. The hospital had sent a psychiatrist to see him, but he had refused to speak to them. Robert tried to block everything that had happened to him out. After he spoke to the police he refused to mention it again, even to Aaron. He swore he was fine and just needed to forget about it and move on.

 

The doctors had begun giving him a mild sedative to help him sleep. Without it he could only sleep for short periods of time, if Aaron was there to quiet the nightmares, but when Robert would wake he would refuse to speak about them.

 

Robert’s fifth day in the hospital Aaron had run home to shower and change clothes, it was the first time he’d left since Robert had been admitted. Until then Emily would sneak him into the staff locker room to shower, and Chas had brought him clean clothes when her attempts to convince him to go home had fallen on deaf ears.

 

Robert was doing pretty good and Victoria had been more then willing to sit with him while Aaron was gone. All though Robert had tried to convince them he didn’t need a babysitter, it was good to talk to his sister for a while, but he still tired easily and Vic soon convinced him to sleep. Aaron returned while he was asleep, as soon as he entered Robert’s room he smelled it, lemon and disinfectant. Victoria told him the janitor had stopped by and Aaron didn’t think anything else of it, as he said goodbye to Vic, and settled down in the chair beside Robert’s bed.

 

A few minutes later Robert began to stir, Aaron leaned closer to see if he was waking or having a nightmare. Robert’s eyes squinted open, but before he was fully awake, he inhaled and immediately lashed out. His fist struck Aaron in the face, and Robert gasped as Aaron stumbled back from the unexpected blow and tripped over the chair, falling to the ground. Aaron jumped up as soon as he was able and went to Robert. Robert’s eyes were glassy and he was breathing heavily, he had hunched in on himself as if to protect himself.

 

Aaron didn’t touch him, he just began to talk. “Robert, it’s ok, you’re safe. You’re in the hospital, I’m here, you’re ok. Just breathe, baby, slow deep breathes.” Eventually, Robert’s breathing slowed and he glanced at Aaron not really seeing him. “Aaron? Why does it smell like that?”

 

Aaron looked at him confused. “What? The disinfectant?”

 

Robert nodded “That and the lemon, I thought I was in the chair. The lemon juice, he would pour it on the cuts and then she would clean them so they could do it all again.” Robert clenched his jaw, anger filling his eyes. “This is so stupid, it’s lemons. The smell of lemons should not throw me into a panic.” Robert looked up at Aaron and horror replaced the anger on his face. “Oh, God. You’re bleeding. Did I do that to you?”

 

Aaron reached up to his face, he felt the blood coming from his nose and grabbed a tissue off the bedside table. “It’s not your fault, I’m fine.” He smiled at Robert as he wiped the blood away.

 

Emily opened the door and entered the room, she froze when she saw the overturned chair and Aaron’s bloody face. “Everything ok in here?” She asked hesitantly.

 

Aaron nodded, “Ya, everything’s fine, I just had a little accident.”

 

Emily looked between Robert and Aaron, but decided not to comment further. She walked over to pick up the chair and hand Aaron another tissue, holding up the trashcan for his bloody one.

 

Aaron smiled his thanks. “Do you think we could get the room cleaned again, without the lemon stuff? I think I’m allergic or something.”

 

Emily looked at him unconvinced, but said, “Sure, I’ll get someone right in.”

 

She started to leave the room, when Robert said, “Can you also get the therapist back? I think I’m ready to talk to him now.”

 

Emily smiled at Robert. “Sure, I can do that.”

 

As the door closed behind her Robert looked back at Aaron. “Are you sure you’re ok?”

 

Aaron rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, I’ve had worse then this scrapping with Adam.”

 

Aaron threw the tissue away, “See, it’s already stopped.” Seeing the look on Robert’s face Aaron sat down on the bed beside him. “It was an accident. I’m fine.” He leaned over and pressed his lips gently to Robert’s “I promise.” He said as he kissed the guilt from Robert’s face.

 

After that Robert had begun to see the therapist on a daily basis, and would continue to see one him once they returned to Emmerdale. Aaron had told him about how he had seen one after Jackson died, and how much it had helped him. He tried to convince Robert there was no shame in it.

 

Robert still struggled with panic attacks, nightmares, depression, anger. Some days he would pick a fight with Aaron, at first Aaron had refused to join in, but he had eventually realized that Robert needed him to argue back. He needed that normalcy. Their fights never lasted long, and Aaron tended to let him win. Some days even Aaron could hardly get a word out of Robert, he would lay in his bed staring at the ceiling unable or unwilling to interact with anyone. Robert hated the fear and panic his captivity had caused in him, he still hated showing what he thought of as weakness to anyone. Aaron refused to allow Robert to push him away, even at his darkest moments. But with everyone else, Robert put on the brave and sometimes arrogant face he was known for.

 

Robert was closer with his family then he had ever been, he had told them the story of him and Aaron, and had acknowledged that he was bisexual. He had tried to speak with Chrissie as soon as he was able, but she had refused and informed him of her intent to file for divorce as soon as was legally possible.

 

Aaron had briefly returned home from the hospital one day to find that Diane and Chas had moved him into a bigger room with a bigger bed and plenty of room for two on hearing that Robert was being released from the hospital soon. Aaron had thrown his arms around them both, tears in his eyes, in front of a pub full of curious villagers. Chas still struggled to accept Aaron and Robert’s relationship, but she couldn’t deny how much Aaron loved Robert so she held her tongue and prayed that Robert wouldn’t break Aaron’s heart.

 

Aaron snapped out of his thoughts as Adam and Vic got out of the car. They were parked in front of the Woolpack. Aaron looked at Robert who was staring out the car window unmoving.

 

“Hey, you ok?” Aaron asked him.

 

Robert turned to Aaron with tears in his eyes. “I refuse to fuck this up! I know I haven’t been a very good person in the past, but that’s going to change, I’m going to change. I know it’s not going to be easy, with all this stuff in head, and I know I’m going to have bad days, and I know it’s going to be hard on you, it _has_ been hard on you. But…” Robert looked down at their hands and back into Aaron’s eyes. “don’t give up on me, ok?”

 

Aaron leaned in to Robert and said one word before their lips met in a desperate kiss. “Never.”


	10. Epilogue

Robert walked into the Woolpack and looked around. He spotted Paddy and Marlon sitting at a table, laughing, getting a head start on the drinking.

“Robert, how are you? Would you like a pint?” Diane called from behind the bar.

Robert smiled at her and nodded, “Cheers, Diane.” 

He started to head to the bar to talk to Diane, when Paddy called out to him, “Oi, Robert! Where’s your better half? Is he hiding from his own birthday party?”

Robert smiled and shook his head walking over to the table “Come on Paddy, you know Aaron refused to let us have a birthday party! This is just a night in the pub with all his friends and family.” 

Paddy laughed, “Oh, ya, I forgot.”

Robert sat down at the table as Diane walked up with his pint. “That boy and his silly “no fuss”, I had Victoria bake him a cake and he’s going to eat a piece whether he wants to or not. Where is he?”

Robert grinned, “I tried to get him to skive off today, but he insisted he had to go the scrapyard. He should be here soon.”

Zak and Lisa entered the pub followed by several members of the Dingle clan. 

“Where’s the birthday boy?” Zak bellowed.

Diane shook her head “Quiet down you, he’s not even here yet.” She laughed. “Have a seat, I’ll bring you a pint.”

Robert looked around as the pub filled with people, most of them friends and family. He smiled as someone bumped into him, when he had first gotten out of the hospital, sitting here with all these people and all of this noise would of sent him into a panic. But he hadn’t had a panic attack in several months, he still saw a therapist once a week, but felt so good he was thinking of knocking it down to once a month. 

The door opened and everyone turned to see who it was. Adam and Aaron entered the pub laughing, but stopped when they noticed everyone staring at them. 

“Happy birthday!” Paddy called out. Aaron frowned as he was swallowed up by people clapping him on the back and calling out “Happy Birthday”. Eventually he made his way through the crowd to stand in front of Robert. 

Robert grinned at him, and Aaron scowled, “I thought I said no parties.”

Robert looked around the room. “I don’t see any balloons or party hats, do you? Well, then it’s not a party. Just a casual night in the pub.”

Aaron rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but smile at Robert. “Fine, if I’m going to do this a need a drink or several.”

Robert watched him walk over to the bar with a big smile on his face.

Aaron accepted birthday wishes from various friends and family as he made his way to the bar. After asking Diane for a pint he turned around looking through the crowd to find Robert staring at him with a goofy smile on his face. Aaron’s heart skipped a beat as Robert’s face changed in an instant from one of pure happiness to one of pure panic. Aaron pushed through the crowd hurrying to Robert’s side. As he reached him he heard the song. 

Silent I go under  
I am not afraid  
I can see the daylight shine  
And slowly drift away  
Safe to say it’s over  
Sink into the grave  
There is nothing left inside  
But I am wide awake  
I can hear the devil call my name

Aaron had listened to it several times after hearing Robert mumble lines of it in his sleep, and he recognized it immediately. He looked around trying to figure out where the song was coming from, a woman at the table next to Robert pulled a cell phone out of her handbag and answered it. The music stopped. 

Robert sat perfectly still in his chair except for the quick rising and falling of his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to slow his breathing. The song stopped, but he could still hear it echoing in his head. He gulped in air trying to take a deep breath, his chest began to ache and his arms tingled. He opened his eyes as someone grabbed his arm and pulled him from the chair. His vision clouded and he felt like the walls were closing in on him. Someone grabbed his other arm and they propelled him forward and through the back doors into the living room.

Chas and Aaron lowered Robert to the couch. 

“Mum, could you get me a wet washcloth?” Aaron sat beside Robert as Chas hurried to do what he asked. 

Victoria entered the room. “I saw, what happened? Does he have his medication?”   
Aaron glanced at Vic, “No, he hasn’t had a bad one in so long he stopped carrying it.”

“I’ll run to the house and get it, just in case.” Vic said as she rushed back out through the pub.

Chas walked up with a cold wet washcloth and handed it to Aaron. “Ta. Can you keep everyone out please?” He asked her.

Chas nodded, “Is there anything else I can do?”

Aaron shook his head, “No, Mum, just give us a little while.”

Chas patted him on the shoulder and left the room.

Aaron leaned closer to Robert, careful not to touch him. He had learned that when Robert was in the midst of a bad attack it was better to wait, until Robert reached for him. 

“Robert.” Aaron said firmly to get his attention. 

Robert’s head turned slightly towards Aaron’s voice. “Concentrate on your breathing, in and out. You’re ok, you’re safe.” Aaron spoke to Robert alternating between reminding him to breathe slow and steady and talking about his day, about the party that wasn’t a party, about anything. Aaron knew that keeping Robert in the present was important, that if he was left alone with his thoughts he would sink deeper and deeper into his captivity and the harder it would be for him to pull himself out of it. 

After a couple of minutes Robert’s breathing began to return to normal. As his vision cleared and his heart returned to a normal rate, he reached out and grabbed Aaron’s hand. 

Aaron picked up the wet cloth with his other hand and wiped the sweat gently from Robert’s face. 

Robert took a deep breath. “I’m ok.” He whispered hoarsely.

“Let me get you some water.” Aaron stood withdrawing his hand from Robert’s.

Robert watched him walk to the kitchen, despair evident on his face. 

Aaron filled a glass with water and returned to Robert. Robert looked down as he took the glass from Aaron avoiding his eyes. He took a drink and sat the glass on the coffee table. 

“Hey, what is it? You ok?” Aaron asked.

Robert jumped up from the couch and laughed bitterly.

“Am I ok? I ruined your birthday over a stupid song and you want to know if I’m ok.” He ground out angrily while beginning to pace.

Aaron stood, but didn’t move towards him. “You didn’t ruin anything. It’s fine. Most people didn’t even notice, so we can go back out there or we could just go home. I’d rather have you on your own anyway. It’s just a birthday.”

Robert frowned continuing to pace. “It’s not just a birthday, it’s our first birthday together. It was supposed to be good, I was gonna….”

Aaron looked at him confused. “You were gonna what?” 

Robert shook his head “It doesn’t matter now, I’ve ruined it.” He sank onto the couch and dropped his head into his hands.

Aaron sat down beside him “Robert, you couldn’t of known some random person was going to use that stupid song as a ringtone. This is not your fault, plus it doesn’t even matter. You’re ok now, Vic went to get your meds, just in case you want them. It’s early, we can still do whatever you were gonna do. So, stop felling guilty, and tell me what is was.”

Robert sighed. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little box. “I don’t know why you put up with me, but I’m so glad you do.” He slipped off the couch and dropped to one knee, opening the box and holding it out to Aaron. “This is not exactly what I had planned, but I’ve discovered that life with you is so much better then any plan I could make. So, here goes. I love you, more then I ever thought was possible and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Aaron stared at Robert, his mouth open in shock. He glanced down at the ring, it had a black titanium center bordered by gunmetal grey edges. It was simple and elegant, just like him and Robert. 

He looked back at Robert, “If I’m gonna wear one, so are you.”

Robert smiled and removed the band from the box lifting the inside to reveal a second identical ring. “I knew you would say that. Is that a yes?”

Aaron bit his bottom lip and nodded. 

“I love you.” He whispered as Robert slipped one ring onto Aaron’s ring finger and one on his own. 

Aaron grabbed the collar of Robert’s jacket and pulled him up as he leaned back onto the couch so Robert ended up straddling Aaron. Robert laughed as their lips met in a heated kiss full of promise. 

“Awww, does that mean what I think it means?” Victoria asked from the doorway.

Robert and Aaron reluctantly broke apart. Robert looked up at her and grinned, “He said yes.”

“I told you he would, you muppet. Aaron, this guy has been so nervous, I’m surprised he didn’t throw up on ya.” She laughed as Robert stood up from the couch and pulled Aaron with him. 

“Oh, come on Vic, I was not that nervous. I mean how could he say no to all of this.” Robert gestured to himself with his signature smirk.

Vic and Aaron rolled their eyes at the same time. 

Vic laughed. “Come on, let’s go tell everyone!”

Robert started to follow her, but Aaron grabbed his hand. “Were you really nervous?”

Robert put his hands on Aaron’s waist and pulled him close. “Of course I was. I don’t deserve you.”

Aaron leaned in to kiss Robert, but before their lips could touch Victoria threw open the door. “Come on boys, you’ll have plenty of time for that later, it’s time to celebrate!”


End file.
